Community Access Program

In the last decade, numerous efforts have been made to improve the situation for the Aboriginal Canadians, in an attempt to bridge the digital divide. 1994 saw the inception of the Canadian Community Access Program (CAP) with early efforts primarily focused on rural communities where Internet access was less available.  CAP, in conjunction with provincial governments and local agencies, worked to bridge the gap in “public locations like schools, libraries and community centres and acted as “on-ramps” to the Information Highway, providing computer support and training” (Industry Canada, 2011).  In 2011, the Canadian Government agreed to continue supporting the efforts of CAP within local, regional, and national networks and bridge the significant technology infrastructure.  Action plans, such as CAP, provide the pertinent funding needed to keep the attempts moving in the forward to interject many of the unique challenges that Aboriginal Canadians face.

Industry Canada. (2011). Community Access Program (CAP). Ottawa: Government of

Canada. Retrieved July 18, 2011 from http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cap

pac.nsf/eng/00006.html

Sunchild E-Learning Community

While researching possible resources for my project, I was curious to discover that there are very few (4 that I found) e-learning communities that were specifically created for students and adults within the Aboriginal communities. I was astonished that there were so few!  The following is an excerpt from my paper, focusing on the Digital Divide and Bridging the Gap.

“Bridging digital and educational divides has enabled simultaneous growth in the technological and educational skills within the Canadian Aboriginal population. Many Canadian Aboriginals reside in rural; often remote areas of the nation. Web-based educational instruction offers an opportunity for individual success by bridging the gap within the learning environment.  A Calgary Alberta based e-learning facility, Sunchild e-learning Community, is an example of an online K-12 learning program for Aboriginal Canadians.  The Sunchild e-learning community provides an educational learning experience that stresses accountability and interaction amongst its participants, whether within the classroom setting or remotely.  Teachers motivate and keep “students involved through synchronous voice exchanges, chat line discussions and the monitoring of student assignments” (Sunchild website testimonial, 2011). With the availability of e-learning programs such as Sunchild, participants do not have to leave their community rather, the program is delivered to them.”

A National Panel has been set up to investigate ways of improving education for Aboriginal students on reserves. Minister John Duncan and Chief Shawn Atleo have declared that their will be a joint panel on education.  Graduation rates on reserves are significantly lower than that of the general population so it’s the panel’s task to figure out why.  One reason, of course, would be the lack of funding as is indicated in this article in the Times Colonist.   The Federal government needs to ensure that band schools have adequate funding but in times of fiscal retraint, it’s hard to see that happening.  Funding is always a challenge for schools that are in remote communities requiring busses or boats.  Connectivity infrastructure will likely be more costly and there will be many other expenses that would not be incurred in an urban area.  Any lack of funding from the Federal or Provincial levels of government will unfairly impact these less urban communities, likely affecting First Nations students disproportionately.  Schools are a great place to develop cross-cultural understanding.  Underfunding undermines that potential.