College extends feelers on education
Institute investigates post-degree program; Students say they'd keep learning locally if programming was offered
Evan Kiyoshi French
Northern News Services
Friday, February 27, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Aurora College is testing the waters in the North Slave to see if there's interest in bringing a post-degree Bachelor of Education program to the area.
Chelsea Mason, 30, and Kristine Kraft, 19, are Aurora College students who would like to see more programming offered that would allow them to continue their education in the city. - Evan Kiyoshi French/NNSL photo |
Dave Porter, chair of the college's School of Education said about two-dozen people turned out for an information session last week where they were asked to fill out surveys detailing what they'd like to see in a post-secondary program at the college.
"We were just doing some market research," he said.
"There is no defined program right now. We were just seeking some market information and data to help guide us with potential for future programming."
The school offers a four-year program at Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith. A post-degree program in Yellowknife would allow students already holding bachelor's degrees in arts or science to be fast-tracked toward teaching through a two-year program.
"We have not delivered a two-year program in education before," said Porter.
"We are trying to continually evolve and be responsive to what the people of the NWT are looking for. When we find out what people want ... (we can) be responsive to that."
Post-degree programming in other fields would be a welcomed change, according to Kristine Kraft. The 19-year-old nursing student said she'll get a bachelor's degree after she finishes her four years at Aurora College but if she wants to specialize she'll have to move elsewhere to get to the next level in her education.
"With nursing you can specialize in so many different things so if they had different options here I'm sure people would be into that," she said. Kraft said she's in the Access program, a bridge program which will prepare her to begin training to be a nurse.
Although she is from Calgary her dad lives in Yellowknife and she was schooled in the city from Grade 4 until high school.
She likes living here, she said, and would probably stay in town after she finishes at Aurora College if it weren't for the fact there are few options.
"The class sizes are good," she said. "A lot of the teachers do genuinely care about where you're going to end up. A lot of them are pretty passionate about your success."
Chelsea Mason, 30, was born and raised in Yellowknife and will receive a diploma in social work once she is finished at the college. But in order to go further in the field she said she will have to complete her degree online or relocate to Saskatchewan where the college has connections with the University of Regina.
"If they had something offered I think that people would much rather have their degree," she said. "I like the convenience of being able to live here and be with my family and still attend school."
Porter said the college is continuing to explore interest in post-degree education, starting with canvassing the community over the weekend.
"We'll be talking to residents in the grocery stores and shopping centres to see what kinds of programming they're interested in," he said.
