THE PROJECT
Connected North, operated by TakingITGlobal, fosters student engagement and enhanced education outcomes for pupils from K-12 and their teachers in remote Indigenous communities across Canada with live, interactive virtual learning experiences and access to educational resources not available locally.
The focus of this project was to increase Connected North’s menu of content delivered into the classroom by engaging culturally relevant role models via Create to Learn, a free online learning resource featuring video tutorials on digital skills and traditional knowledge using digital tools, authored by First Nations, Métis and Inuit creatives.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
The high demand for the program far exceeded Connected North’s expectations, reaching over 30,000 K-12 students in Northern remote communities—more than doubling the number of anticipated participants. They also doubled the number of Indigenous content providers onboarded and surpassed the number of Create to Learn tutorials they aimed to create. The 700+ teachers who booked sessions with Create to Learn found that students have been able to build skills and expand their horizons by meeting new people and learning about different perspectives—bringing topics like soapstone carving and Métis sash making to life with actual practitioners from across the country.
“My students who did not enjoy attending classes made sure they were there for the days we had hands on activities with Connected North. Many students were inspired by the people they heard and learned from and have chosen to pursue jobs in those fields because of them!” – Teacher, Kiilinik High School, Nunavut
CIRA’s investment in Create to Learn helped Connected North attract funding from Deloitte and Employment and Social Development Canada to further develop the program, driving even more traffic to the platform and making culturally relevant digital skills training more accessible for Indigenous students across Canada.
RELATED LINKS
- Connected North’s website: https://www.connectednorth.org/en
- Create to Learn: https://www.createtolearn.ca/
- Connected North’s 2022-2023 program report
PHOTOS
Courtesy of TakingITGlobal
