Connecting

Last week we had an interesting time connecting with people in Northwestern Saskatchewan. The edcentre team was hosted by Dene High School in La Loche on Thursday, June 12. We spoke with high school students, teachers and community members about the e-learning experience. In order to demonstrate how we are able communicate with one another we used a web conference tool to interact between locations. Two students were available from different communities to talk about their personal experience in the online learning community, two teachers connected from La Ronge, while the computer screen was projected on a big screen in the gym at the school in La Loche.
A recording of the first half hour of the session is available through the following link: Connecting in La Loche, Saskatchewan

Celebration of Personal Achievement

Yesterday we celebrated the personal achievements of learners in the edcentre.ca online learning community through a live webconference. If you were unable to attend or participate in the web conference, you can view the event by clicking on the link below:
Graduation and Awards Celebration




(This is a 30 minute session. Make sure you have your speakers turned on or your headset plugged in.)

Learning needs in Northern Saskatchewan

According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, 43% of the Northern Saskatchewan population is under age 20. The Northern Region population is growing at a faster rate than the rest of the province. More Northern students appear to be staying in school longer and more are completing high school. While this is encouraging, the demands of the labour market are here now and as management positions become available who will be there to fill these positions? Higher education and training are essential for well over two thirds of the expected job openings in Northern Saskatchewan.
49% of Northern Saskatchewan people 25-34 years old have not completed high school. In the 15-24 age group, only 18% have completed high school.
The key to participation in the future of the north is education and engagement with work experience opportunities.

Biodiversity

This short video presentation was prepared by Martina for her online Science 10 class. The video illustrates biodiversity in the Sasakatchewan River delta area.

Information Sessions

Debbie Mielke and Kona Bryson are travelling to Buffalo Narrows and Ile a La Crosse this afternoon. An information session will be offered in both communities at 7:00 pm via web conference. We have invited community members to attend in each community to find out more about distance learning and how high school may be completed any time, anywhere, any pace.

Kelly Haydukewich and Ted Green will participate in the presentation and question/answer session from the office in La Ronge. We will provide background information about edcentre.ca and illustrate the communication tools that make this form of distance learning possible.

Thursday afternoon we will offer a live information session to the high school students at Dene High in La Loche followed by a professional development session with teachers. Students from the online school will be available within a live web conference room to speak about their experiences as online learners.

If you live in a Northern Saskatchewan community and would like to host an information session in your community, please call us at the edcentre.ca office. 1-888-299-5680.

If you would like to participate in the live information session as a student, please go to Kelly's online room at 7:00 PM, Wednesday June 18, and at 1:00PM on Thursday, June 19.
Please call the school for the link to the sessions.

Apology

This afternoon the Prime Minister is offering an aplogy to former students of residential schools. The aplogy will likely be found on many sites. Although this webcast is now live, the following link should take you to an archived link.
What this will mean to First Nations people across Canada will only be apparent in the time that follows this apology.

The formal recognition of an assimilation policy carried out by the Canadian government that caused incredible hardship and loss of cultural identity for First Nations people is a now a reality. The road to understanding and acceptance is still before us all.

Thanks to Gary Mirasty for carrying the motion to apologize into the House of Commons.

Truth, reconcilliation and a better future can only be found through sincere acceptance of responsibility.