Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 15/98) - You can see a special gleam in Elizabeth Tumblin's eyes when she flicks on the computer and boots up Knowledge Forum.

The teacher at Joamie school in Iqaluit has dedicated most of her time to the experimental teaching tool and judging by the recognition she's getting, it's been worth it.

One of 50 Canadian recipients of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence (Certificate of Achievement), Tumblin beat out hundreds of other nominees to bring the prestigious education award home to Iqaluit.

"When you think that in all of Iqaluit there are 50 teachers, to be chosen is quite an honor," says Tumblin, in front of the row of computers that sits in her classroom.

"It's an honor just to be nominated. In a profession that's constantly under the gun and one that has certainly become more challenging with cutbacks and rollbacks, it's nice to have outside recognition. Most of the rewards are personal," says Tumblin who already has plans for her prizes.

"I'll be getting a certificate and a pin and a $1,000 for the school. I determine how that $1,000 will be spent and obviously mine is going towards computers."

She says the prize money will join the additional $30,000 she has raised so far this year in order to buy more computer equipment.

"One of our school goals is to increase access to technology. We want to level the playing ground because many of the students don't have the same access to computers."

Tumblin has been involved with Knowledge Forum since its inception five years ago and has become one of the world's leading authorities on the program.

The software allows many students to work collectively on a single problem, sharing data and ideas through a network.

"My work with Knowledge Forum and how I've been able to get the students motivated and seeing the results in computer literacy ... I've never seen anything any better."

Tumblin says it enables her students to be better prepared for the future and gets them past some of the hurdles imposed by social issues and language barriers.

"If this keeps them in school just a little bit longer, it helps prepare them for the future. Particularly in Nunavut, where there isn't a lot available for kids. It really validates them."

Tumblin says the all-encompassing learning tool does as much for the emotional health of her students as it does for their educational well-being.

"It helps their self-esteem and that's half the battle for kids. If they feel they can do it, they will go on to do amazing things." Tumblin's former colleague, Sandy McAuley, says he nominated her specifically because of her work on Knowledge Forum.

"We worked together a fair bit and I watched her struggle and learn and never give up," says McAuley from Yellowknife.

"I've watched some pretty amazing things between the kids and Liz and I felt she deserved the nomination," says McAuley. That process included filling out a 10-page form and gathering three letters of support.

"One of the things that really struck me is that of the number of people who've used Knowledge Forum and the number of people who've done really well with it, very few achieve as much as Elizabeth has."