Studies in Aboriginal Childcare available via distance learning from Red River College
Canadian Forces deliver 100,000 used books to Aboriginal children up north
Aboriginal publishing business making a difference
Who wants to be a millionaire?
Aboriginal post-secondary education calls for a non-partisan, forward-looking approach says report
Seven institutions sign Alberta-North agreement
Studies in Aboriginal Childcare available via distance learning from Red River College
Whether you’re looking to advance your career, head in a new direction, or pursue your interests, distance learning can be a rewarding and efficient method of educational delivery. Red River College offers hundreds of courses and dozens of certificate and diploma programs that can be conveniently accessed from the comfort of your own home.
One such program is called “Studies In Aboriginal Childcare”. Norma Kerr, Program Manager of Community Services at RRC’s School of Continuing and Distance Education (C+DE) says that this post-diploma program is ideally suited to early childhood educators who wish to expand their education in the specialized area of Aboriginal Child Care. She notes that it will be of interest to those who have completed the prerequisites of an Early Childhood Education Diploma, CBA, or relevant degree.
Ms. Kerr adds that the completion of this program will help to broaden the career possibilities of current childcare centre employees: “It would enable a childcare worker to move up to the Early Childhood Educator, Classifica-tion 3 level, and provide the foundation needed to eventually become the director of a childcare centre,” says Ms. Kerr.
Studies In Aboriginal Childcare is comprised of six courses:
• Aboriginal Children, Families and Communities: an introduction to traditional family structures and roles including the celebration of children in Aboriginal communities. It explores factors – both historical and current – that affect children, their families and communities.
• *Current Aboriginal Issues: an exploration of key issues facing Aboriginal people in Canada, including issues related to health, employment, justice, urban migration, self-government and preserving languages. Each topic is examined within the appropriate historical context.
• *First Peoples: an examination of historical human settlement in Canada from both Aboriginal and scientific perspectives. The unique histories and culture of the First Peoples of Canada is presented to provide a foundation for understanding Aboriginal peoples in Canada today.
• Integrating the Aboriginal Cul-ture in ECE Programs: an introduction to a variety of ways to ensure Aboriginal culture is respected and an integral part of ECE programs. The course focuses on integrating Aboriginal perspectives, practices and activities in early childhood education.
• *Lives Changed: an examination of the impact to First Peoples’ lives and cultures following the arrival of European explorers and settlers to Canada. The course also covers the emergence of the Métis people and their subsequent treatment by the government. An exploration of the origin of treaties and The Indian Act will help students understand the role these documents continue to play in current issues that Aboriginal people face.
• Independent Research Project: students complete an independent research project by choosing a topic focusing on issues relating to Aboriginal children and families.
*Individuals who are not in the child care profession may be interested in the above courses marked with an asterisk. These courses cover the evolution of several important issues in the Aboriginal community today, and may be taken without the prerequisites, if indicated on the registration form.
To learn more about these courses, please contact Norma Kerr at 204.632.2145 or e-mail nkerr@rrc.mb.ca. For more information about distance education at Red River College, please visit www.rrc.mb.ca, phone 204.694.1789 or 1.866.242.7073, or e-mail cde@rrc.mb.ca.
Canadian Forces deliver 100,000 used books to Aboriginal children up north
By Geoff Nixon
A Canadian Forces convoy made up of 12 ten-tonne trucks left Toronto February 18th with an unusual payload: 100,000 used books that will be delivered to Aboriginal communities in northern Ontario.
“It's a magnificent spectacle to see,” said Ontario's Lt.-Gov. James Bartleman in an interview.
“The military step in and help when there is disasters and things like this,” said Bartleman. “Here they're helping when in a sense it's a disaster in terms of the high levels of illiteracy and suicide and lack of hope among these communities.”
Bartleman is a member of the Mnjikaning First Nations Community near Rama, Ontario.
The deliveries are all a part of The Lieutenant Governor's Book Program, which has collected hundreds of thousands of books for Aboriginal children since Bartleman launched it in 2004.
This year, more than 700,000 books have been gathered since the collection period began last December.
“These are books that have all been sorted, they're children's books and they are heading north,” Bartleman said.
When the military sends out its supplies to reserve soldiers around Ontario, the books tag along for the ride and get delivered to remote communities along the way.
According to the lieutenant-governor, the program provides access to books for children whose ability to travel is limited by severe weather conditions.
“In northern Ontario, the ice is four feet thick now on the major lakes,'' said Bartleman, when describing the challenges the Forces will face in delivering the books.
“They'll be crossing those lakes, going in to little communities, with from 150 to 3,000 people, bringing books, unloading them and stocking the school libraries.”
Sgt. Peter Moon of the Canadian Rangers says that in two cases, there are communities that are not accessible by road – Fort Severn and Sandy Lake – that will have their books sent in by parachute.
At the end of February there was an air force Hercules that paradropped another 22,000 books into Fort Severn and Sandy Lake. Moon said. “The winter road to Sandy Lake is just not operable this winter and to get to Fort Severn, you have to go via Manitoba, so it's cheaper, actually, to fly them there.”
Moon says the book program has been a great success, but that it has only one drawback – with the large number of donations received, the sorting of the hundreds of thousands of books at a Toronto barracks is taking up available training space for soldiers.
“It's driving us nuts at Moss Park Armoury,” said Moon with a laugh. “We need to get on with training soldiers to go to Afghanistan… (but) there's no room!''
Aboriginal publishing business making a difference
Although Aboriginal cultures throughout Canada follow a strict oral tradition, increasing literacy is becoming more and more important in First Nations communities right across the country. Schools in every community are stepping up to ensure Aboriginal children are reading and writing to their fullest potential; and literacy organizations are enforcing schools and children with educational materials.
Ningwakwe Learning Press is one of these vital literacy resources. NLP’s primary mandate is to “develop, publish and distribute learning materials that contribute to a holistic approach to achieving adult Native literacy learning outcomes in Ontario,” the organization does so based on a hallowed cultural base through successful contemporary business methods. Established in 1996, Ningwakwe has published a wide array of educational materials, including novels, workbooks, CD-ROMs, teacher’s guides, and historical references, among many others.
With a solid reputation for distributing resources to Native communities across Ontario and the rest of Canada, Ningwakwe can proudly and adequately call itself the most unique and culture-based resource centre for the purchase of Native learning materials.
By responding to the holistic needs and traits of Canada’s First Nations communities, it contributes to community development and personal empowerment, recognizing the contemporary realities of the communities it serves.
Ningwakwe is a true innovator in that sense. By running independently, it has carved out a niche in the relatively new field of Aboriginal educational publishing. NLP stays true to a set vision and principles, and is guided by the “Principle of Seven Generations”, which states that every word spoken today and every action undertaken today impacts on seven generations. NLP’s principles statement continues: “As an organization committed to the reclamation of Aboriginal culture and traditions, NLP also abides by the Seven Grandfather teachings of humility, wisdom, truth, honesty, bravery, love and respect. Within this context, NLP is focused on developing, publishing, marketing and distributing learning materials and curriculum that meet the needs of adult Native learners in a holistic, culturally relevant way, consistent with literacy and basic skills guidelines.”
By adhering so strictly to culture and the needs of the people, Ningwakwe is a beacon in the diverse field of education and literacy. And by having the tools to keep the flames of learning going, the organization can further increase its role not only in that field, but also bolster Aboriginal presence in printing and publishing right across Canada.
Who wants to be a millionaire?
Instructor helps make million-dollar dreams a reality
By M.Partington-Richer
Long before it was a wildly successful game show, the line undoubtedly rolled off the tongue of principals, guidance counselors and teachers as they urged students to consider a career. But even today, any students answering the query in the affirmative just might want to meet at least one of the instructors at Northern Lakes College.
In fact, when asked, Owen Stanford admitted that over the years at least a dozen of his Business students have achieved that million-dollar dream.
Owen Stanford teaches the Business course via distance learning through Northern Lakes College.
Stanford – who has as many degrees as he has fingers on his right hand – has been an instructor in the Business arena for more than two decades. He began that sojourn in 1984 at Fairview College where he instructed as well as co-ordinated Business programs. A few years later he began working with officials from NLC who were brokering Business programs from Fairview.
Two years ago, however, a decision by NAIT (the Northern Institute of Technology) to discontinue its Business courses at Fairview created a golden opportunity for NLC. Stanford says NAIT’s decision left him out of a job so he accepted an offer from NLC to teach the Business course that it had begun brokering from Grant MacEwan College.
Having students at campuses across the north was a new learning experience for him, too, the Cardston native admits.
“Teaching through distance education required me to shift gears. I taught face-to-face for 20 years,” but suddenly found himself sitting in one location with his lessons being transmitted to students in Grouard, Athabasca, Valleyview, Manning, Ft Vermilion, and Peerless Lake as well as Slave Lake.
“I had to rethink how I do things using distance technology.”
But that’s also part of what makes this college so attractive to so many, he adds.
“I particularly like the way NLC reaches out to many campuses.” He likewise applauds NLC’s strategy that makes instructors integral parts of the overall process.
In essence, he says, “we are masters of using instructors to add value to the distance education process.”
Business courses, he says, teach students “to either ‘grease the wheels of commerce’, or start and manage small businesses.” And in a world of results-based accolades, Stanford says his Business courses stand up to even the toughest evaluations. “I believe that people that are interested in commerce will benefit from our Business program and will have richer lives as a result of studying Business at NLC.”
And though he doesn’t say it in so many words, this instructor has clearly become a mentor for his students too. As well as being a successful investor in the markets and real estate, he also owns or has an interest in two separate businesses.
“We hope that our grads have richer and more fulfilling lives as a result of studying Business,” he says. And that hope has obviously come to fruition in many cases.
“This is only one measure of success,” he says, “but over the duration of my career, at least 12 of my graduates have become millionaires.”
Aboriginal post-secondary education calls for a non-partisan, forward-looking approach says report
The First Nations Education Council (FNEC) and the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL) have reacted positively to the report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs an Northern Development entitled, "No Higher Priority: Aboriginal Post-secondary Education in Canada".
The report puts forward 10 key recommendations, which need to be implemented in the short and long term by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) in collaboration with First Nations.
Ms. Lise Bastien, Director of the FNEC located in Wendake, Quebec, stated, "We are pleased to see that the Parliamentary Committee has confirmed and recognizes the problems connected with post-secondary education among First Nations. The elimination of the 2% annual cap and the assurance of admissibility for First Nations students to post-secondary education are urgent measures to put in place.
"Another major priority is the availability of basic funding and support for the creation of First Nations post-secondary education institutions. These institutions are an obvious solution for the improvement of academic success among our students. This measure should be considered immediately," she added.
The Parliamentary Committee also recommends that INAC rectify the anomaly of vocational training affecting the First Nations of Quebec, who have raised this question for years now.
"It is completely unjustified and unacceptable that the Government of Canada still demands to this day more studies and analyses in order to demonstrate what the Committee has stated in its report. A number of previous studies and reports already confirmed the Committee's conclusions and if the government ignores these recommendations, it will have to assume full responsibility for and accept the consequences of the First Nations social and economic situation," stated Mr. Ghislain Picard, Regional Chief of the AFNQL.
"The new Government of Canada has the responsibility to act in an honourable manner and to collaborate with First Nations in order to implement these recommendations immediately," he affirmed.
The FNEC has represented 22 communities throughout Quebec for over twenty years now. Its principal mission is to defend the interests of First Nations communities in order to improve the educational services that are offered to all First Nations students.
The APNQL is the regional organization which represents the Chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador.
Seven institutions sign Alberta-North agreement
Seven post-secondary institutions have re-affirmed their commitment to Alberta-North by signing a Memorandum of Agreement. Witnessed by Advanced Education and Technology Minister Doug Horner, seven Presidents representing Athabasca University, Aurora College, Grande Prairie Regional College, Keyano College, NAIT, Northern Lakes College and Portage College signed the document during a ceremony held on February 7th at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton.
(Left to right) Margaret Imrie, Aurora College, VP Academic; Rick Neidig, Northern Lakes College, President; Jim Foote, Chairman of Alberta-North, President of Keyano College; (standing) Minister Doug Horner, Advanced Education and Technology;
Bill Persley, Portage College, President; Dr. Sam Shaw, NAIT, President; and Doug Hart, GPRC, Acting President.
The Alberta-North consortium is dedicated to creating learning opportunities in northern communities. Through the commitment of the partners and financial support from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technol-ogy totaling $530,000 in 2006/07 (a six per cent increase over 2005/06), a learning infrastructure is being developed that provides citizens in northern communities with unparalleled access to online courses and learning assistance.
“Activities in the resource and construction sectors are escalating rapidly across the north, increasing the demand for a significantly larger and more skilled workforce,” said Alberta-North Chair Jim Foote. “This environment has escalated the need for education and training in northern communities. Never before has distance learning been a more needed vehicle for reaching and teaching northern residents and visiting workers.
Alberta-North has the mission and strategic position to substantially contribute to the north’s progress.”
The Alberta-North partnership was formed in 1994 as a means to increase and improve access to education and training in remote northern communities. Since then, Community Access Point (CAP) sites have been established in 80 locations with computers, high speed internet (via the Alberta SuperNet), educational resources and CAP Coordinators who offer support and guidance to adult learners.
Doug Horner, Minister of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, emphasized the key role that Alberta-North plays within Alberta’s post-secondary education system and the leadership that the partnering post-secondary institutions have shown through Alberta-North.
“The Alberta-North partnership is a great example of post-secondary institutions showing tremendous leadership by working together to make learning programs available for northern Albertans,” Horner said. “There are tremendous opportunities available in northern Alberta, and it’s exciting to have Alberta-North in place connecting people to the training and education they need to make the most of these opportunities. Our government is pleased to support the Alberta-North partnership.”
Alberta-North’s mission to provide learning infrastructure and resources in rural communities aligns strongly with the priority that the Government of Alberta has placed on post-secondary education. It also supports the Alberta Rural Development Strategy and the need to engage northern residents in the incredible economic opportunities that continue to emerge in the north.