Echo Dene students learn online
Pilot project at Fort Liard school gives students options
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 17, 2016
ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
At first glance, the space at Echo Dene School dedicated toward a videoconference pilot project seems like any other classroom - aside from a 30-to -40-inch television on the wall.
Students participate in the e-Learning program at Echo Dene School in Fort Liard. - photo courtesy of Gene Jenks
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The classroom is where four students at the school spend time each week participating in a new form of distance education, courtesy of a partnership between the Beaufort Delta Education Council and the territorial Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
The partnership aims to give students at community schools in Fort Liard, Fort Resolution, Tuktoyaktuk, Ulukhaktok and Inuvik the chance to collaborate with each other on courses they otherwise may not have the option to participate in.
For Echo Dene School last semester, that meant students could partake in Grade 10 science. This semester, students have access to a pre-calculus class.
Echo Dene School principal Brad Carrier said despite the odd hiccup with the teleconference system, the class is going well.
Students are currently being taught by Inuvik's East Three Secondary School teacher Jill Nugent.
"It takes a lot of patience, which we're lucky (Nugent) has," said Carrier.
With four students in pre-calculus, that also gives Echo Dene School's math teacher some extra time for students who need help the most. Currently, the school runs two math periods.
"We really lucked out and have another time for the students. These four do (pre-calculus) first thing in the morning, and then we offer math class with our math teacher after lunch. So those students go to both now, although they only get credit for the tough class," Carrier said.
Gene Jenks, the information systems and technology consultant with Beaufort Delta Education Council, said the pilot project gives students options they would not otherwise have. Aside from pre-calculus, the program includes three other classes this semester: Grade 11 social studies, Grade 10 English and Grade 11 English.
Last semester, classes included Grade 11 Math, Grade 10 Science and Social Studies, and Grade 12 biology, which is a diploma course.
"A lot of community schools just don't have numbers for staffing or students to offer certain courses. We're trying to offer equity here, so a student in a small community school who can't gain access to certain courses has more options than either taking it through distance learning ... or (moving) to a bigger centre," Jenks said.
"This allows the students to access the courses they want in their own communities, where they can also interact with their peers."
Jenks counts himself lucky to be one of two teachers who have been involved since the beginning of the program. In 2010, he co-started a regional eLearning program for the Beaufort Delta region. That began with one teleconference course, with one student from Fort McPherson.
"There were quite a few growing pains but since that time in 2010 it's evolved into what we have now," Jenks said.
Teleconference was difficult at first. Students who had always learned by paper and pen now had to learn without being able to see a teacher. Eventually, the pilot moved to webcam and now partners with Northwestel for video feeds.
The program has since grown to involve around 40 students, and Jenks says he hopes to see it expand further in the future.
"We'd love to expand it. Right now, we are partnering with Education, Culture and Employment and that's why we've been able to expand beyond (Beaufort Delta)," he explained.
"Our numbers and results are very good, so we're hoping that ... we can continue. Part of that would be great if we could expand to more schools.
Although the eLearning program began as a regional pilot for the Beaufort Delta, now that Education, Culture and Employment is on board it is being run as a larger pilot project that is expected to last two years.
