1

Together at a Distance Pan-Arctic E-Learning Project

Final Research Report to the
Government of Nunavut
Iqaluit, Nunavut
Canada




















Prepared by:
Elizabeth A. Childs, PhD & Collene Armstrong


February, 2011
2



Acknowledgements
The Together @ a Distance Project would like to acknowledge the support, knowledge and
resources shared with the project from the following people:
x Joy Suluk
x Carolyn MacDonald
x Shirley Tagalik
x Nunia Qanatsiaq
x Joe Karetak
x Marg Joyce
x Sonia Hodge, Student
x Lucien Kabvitok, Student
x Eric Anoee
x Michael Angalik
x Department of Education, C&SS
x Dr. Doug MacLachlan
x Dr. Ron Windrim
x Tia Martini
x Janice Reid
x Chris Turnbull
x Nunavut Literacy Council
x NWT Literacy Council
x Cayla Chenier
x Doug Bowes - Set BC
x Robert Boates
x Dr. Norm Vaughan
x Layla Didmon
x Letters of Support provided by: Monica Ell (Nunavut Economic Forum); Cindy Cowan
(Director, Academic Studies Trades and Community Programs); Darlene Thompson
(Secretary-Treasurer, Nunavut Association of Community Access Sites); Nunavut
Broadband Development Corporation; Alexander McAuley (University of Prince Edward
Island); Joanne McGrath (NWT Department of Education, Culture and Employment); and
Mr. Tim McNeill (Government of Nunatsiavut)
x External Programs and Learning Technologies, University of British Columbia)
x All pilot participants (Taloyoak, Arctic Bay, Nain, Iqaluit, Fort Simpson and Rankin Inlet)
x All NTEP staff and Arctic College participants
x The Together at a Distance Advisory Committee Chris McCarthy, Joanne McGrath,
Darlene Thompson, Toni White, Cayla Chenier, Helen Balanoff
3

x The Together at a Distance team including Collene Armstrong, Neil Burgess, Malcolm
Campbell, Elizabeth Childs, Nilambri Ghai, Murray Horn, Gwen Frankton, Cah-Ling Lew
and Terri MacDonald.
x Nunavut Department of Education Staff
x Government of Canada
x And others who have given permission for their resources to be used.

A special acknowledgement to the Elders and the Elders Advisory Committee - Department of
Education, (C&SS) for their advice, their valuable insights and for reinforcing the importance of
IQ throughout this process.

4

Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 6
Online Workshop Design Assumptions ........................................................................................... 8
Design Assumption 1: Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) ................................................................... 9
Design Assumption 2: Use of a Social Constructivist Instructional Design Paradigm .............. 11
Design Assumption 3: Role of a Supportive Learning Community ........................................... 12
Design Assumption 4: Varied Audience Characteristics ........................................................... 13
Design Assumption 5: Need for Content Integrity ................................................................... 14
Design Assumption 6: Requirement for Interoperability to Maximize Learner Access to the
Content ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Research Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 16
Definitions Used ........................................................................................................................ 16
Research Questions .................................................................................................................. 17
Research Methodology ................................................................................................................. 17
Research Sites ............................................................................................................................... 18
Taloyoak, Nunavut September 21 25, 2009 ........................................................................ 18
Arctic Bay, Nunavut November 4 5, 2009 ........................................................................... 18
Nain, Nunatsiavut December 7 10, 2009 ............................................................................ 19
Iqaluit, Nunavut February 22 26, 2010 ............................................................................... 19
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories (NWT) April 13 15, 2010 .......................................... 20
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut May 10 14, 2010 .............................................................................. 20
Research Findings ......................................................................................................................... 20
General Demographics ............................................................................................................. 21
Themes from Workshop 1/Workshop 2 ................................................................................... 22
Themes from W4, W5 and W6 ................................................................................................. 29
Key Findings .................................................................................................................................. 33
Key Finding 1: Holistic Design Model ........................................................................................ 34
Key Finding 2: Learner Support ................................................................................................. 39
Key Finding 3: Move from E-Learning to Distributed Learning ................................................ 40
Next Steps ..................................................................................................................................... 40
References .................................................................................................................................... 43
Appendix A: Facilitators Guide ...................................................................................................... 46
Appendix B: W2 Survey Questions ............................................................................................... 50
5

Appendix C: W4 Survey Questions ............................................................................................... 50
Appendix D: Focus Group Protocol ............................................................................................... 50



6


Together at a Distance Pan-Arctic E-Learning Project

We discussed how a course on igloo building could be structured between Moodle,
Elluminate and the use of the LOR as a warehouse for the resources. We discussed the
value of video recording the Elders demonstrating how to determine snow quality to
have it available to others as well as the supporting Inuktitut terminology. We discussed
how Elluminate

could be used as a tool to bring the students together from different

parts of the Arctic to share how this is done and what words are used in their region. The
value of recording, saving, reusing and sharing these resources through e-learning had
the Elders very excited (Elders, 2010)

Mr. Speaker, I believe online learning will help us develop and make new courses and
learning resources available to adult learners across northern Canada. Online or as it is
better known, e-learning, will help us share our culture, maintain our language, and
increase our ability to participate in the world economy by helping to improve literacy
levels and teaching essential skills to adult learners (Tapardjuik, 2009).

Introduction
The Together at a Distance project was a three year (2008 2010) project aimed at developing
e-literacy skills for adults in Inuit Nunaat (homeland) across the Canadian Pan Arctic. It was
C L L S
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and was led by the Nunavut
Department of Education with support of the Northwest Territories, Nunavik, and
Nunatsiavut. As the leading quotations above illustrate, this project had strong support from
both the Inuit Elder 1 C
critical that Aboriginal communities continue to explore ways of adopting and using learning
(Greenall & Loizides, 2001)

A collaborative design model, based in the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), which
involved Inuit Elders, adult Inuit learners and northern educators not only informed the
Together at a Distance project but provided the framework for the six online workshops that
were created. The content of the first two online workshops introduced e-learning and
examined how to effectively take an e-learning course from the perspective of Inuit adult
learners. The additional four online workshops examined in more detail how to facilitate, teach,
adapt and design e-learning. These online workshops were targeted at educators, community
access point facilitators or trainers whom would be working with, or creating content for Inuit
adult learners.

7

As part of the collaborative design model employed in this project, meetings were held with
adult educators, content experts and the Elders from the Arviat Department of Education
Office. Six pilot sites (Taloyoak, Arctic Bay, Nain, Iqaluit, Fort Simpson and Rankin Inlet) were
solicited from the various geographical areas in the north with each agreeing to host a pilot.
The pilot consisted of face-to-face workshops that focused on introducing adult Inuit learners to
the online workshops. These were conducted in six locations across the north to nine different
audiences by members of the project team. Eighty-six (86) adult Inuit learners participated in

l

Each face-to-face pilot workshop was a minimum of two days in duration with one being
conducted synchronously via Elluminate (Fort Simpson, NWT). A facilitators guide was created
for use at the face-to-face pilots to ensure consistency of message as well as technical support
protocols. Data collection included a 46 item online survey at the completion of W2 which
addressed the content of W1 and W2 as well as a separate 46 item online survey at the
completion of W4, focus group interviews, and individual reflections captured in the individual
participant online journals.

The survey questions covered the following broad areas depending upon the workshop: (1)
general demographic information, (2) motivation, (3) e-learning and digital literacy skills, (4)
awareness of e-learning opportunities, (5) online workshop design, (6) Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
(IQ), (7) awareness of facilitation and workshop preparation skills of e-learning design and
delivery. These areas were developed from a review of the literature, the research questions
and the design philosophy informing this project.

Two websites were created to support the project: (1) an online portal
(www.togetheratadistance.ca) and (2) the Moodle site (Http://ndlp.ca). The online portal was
created as a web-based access point for the online workshops and additional tools and
resources that participants identified as useful throughout the pilots. Links were provided to
the Moodle version of the workshops from the portal as well as to download the web-based
stand-alone option that was created for each of the online workshops. All project content was
made available free of charge via the Together at a Distance portal and additional
communication materials were created including quarterly e-newsletters as a way of increasing
awareness of the project.

This report examines and discusses the research findings that emerged from the Together at a
Distance project across the nine pilot sites. It consolidates key themes from the data, identifies
considerations and recommends a model to guide future work targeted at using the online
learning environment to build digital literacy with adult Inuit learners. A formal project
evaluation report was also completed on this project in a separate document and can be
accessed through the Nunavut Department of Education.

There is a long standing tradition in the North of effective action-based, community-based
research and its ability to drive policy development. As a result, a participatory, inquiry based
8

action research framework guided the research conducted on this project. Using this research
framework created space for the project team to (1) directly involve and build on existing
relationships with the Elders, northern educators, and content experts; (2) ground the project
design model in IQ, and (3) to remain dynamically responsive to the online learning experience
and associated needs of the adult Inuit learners provided to them via the pilot workshops.

Prior to discussing the research findings, it is necessary to examine the design assumptions that
underpinned the creation of the Together at a Distance online workshop series. This will
facilitate an appreciation of the depth and breadth of the content covered and develop a sense
of the online learning environment that was experienced by the end users in the online
workshop(s).
Online Workshop Design Assumptions
The design of online courseware is fraught with decision points about content, context and the
needs of the learners (Crichton & Childs, 2008). Without clearly defined deign assumptions to
guide the creation of online courseware it can be quite difficult for the designer(s) to navigate
the complex decisions they are faced with in a manner that is consistent across courses and
meets the needs, expectations and requirements of the learner, the content and the context.

There were several online workshop design assumptions that informed the creation of the
online workshops. These included the: (1) need to ground the online workshops in Inuit
Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ); (2) use of a social constructivist instructional design paradigm, (3)role
of a supportive learning community, (4) varied audience characteristics (5) need for content
integrity, (6) requirement for interoperability to maximize learner access to the content. These
key components evolved from discussion with the Elders, the adult Inuit educational
community, past experiences of project team members and applicable best practices in the
field of online learning. The project recognized that best practices for southern online learning
may be different than those required when designing for a northern adult Inuit audience and as
such, the collaborative design model was essential to ensuring relevance.

Inuit world view has gone from learning from the family, from the community and then
from the world in a matter of few years. During this short or nonexistent transition
period; methods, timelines and best practices are usually the last topics considered. This
is usually due to the urgency of people's needs; using the analogy of the fisherman, fish
is given to the population, without teaching them how to fish for themselves.

It is good to take an inventory of best practices and what methods can produce the best
outcomes. It is even better to identify and set values, standards and principles that are
meaningful to the target group instead of imposing a set of standards from another
group (Suluk, 2010).

In order to avoid the trap eluded to in the above quote, the Together at a Distance online
workshops had an emergent and participatory design philosophy which was continually
informed by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) . This was also reflected in the organizational
9

structure of the online workshops which is discussed below. Examples are provided from the
workshops to illustrate the learning experience that was created for the participants.

Design Assumption 1: Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ)

Inuit society has survived and successfully adapted to one of the harshest climates in the
world. Inuit attribute this accomplishment to the highly organized social system that has
been developed over generations and which is commonly referred to as Inuit
Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), the Inuit world view or that which Inuit have always known to
be true. This IQ system is grounded in principles, values, beliefs and practices that are
commonly held across Inuit populations (Together at a Distance, 2010)

As evidenced by the above quotation and Suluk (2010), it was critical that the online workshops
be designed using the IQ framework. This was achieved in part by the structure of each online
workshop as well as in the language and examples used in the content itself. Each workshop
began with a Workshop Foundation module that provided a contextual base for the workshop
that is informed by IQ and set within the expectation of continuous learning, and the
relationship between the workshop and lifelong learning. Each module was framed with an
Opener section which directly connected IQ to the content, and a Real World Connector
section, which set the context of the content within real world applications. Within the content
section, opportunities for reflection, discussion, activities and a variety of tasks supported the
student toward the expression of their developed competency in the Follow Up section.

The series of modules in each online workshop worked together to provide opportunities not
only for the learner to develop competencies but contextual and relevant meaning for
themselves. The completion of the final module in each workshop provided the learner the
opportunity to express their gained understandings and knowledge in a meaningful and
personal manner. The organizational and instructional structure of the online workshops
supported the expectation that the learner, while supported by an online community of
learners, would generate their own learning path through the content in order to derive the
greatest relevance toward future application.

The structure of the online workshops is discussed below and the connection to IQ is provided
using examples from various modules of the online workshop entitled How to Teach an e-
course.

Opener Workshop Foundation
In this section of the online workshop the learner is oriented to the various aspect(s) of IQ that
are relevant and connect to the workshop content. In the Being an e-teacher module, the
Opener connects the content of the module (relationship building) to the two IQ concepts of
inuuqatigiitsiarniq and aajiiqatigiingniq as seen below.

Inuit teaching and learning has always taken place through a relationship. The concept
of inuuqatigiitsiarniq- working together in a relationship through mutual support in a
10

respectful and nurturing atmosphere, is central to the expectations for teaching and
learning.

Also implied in the teaching and learning context is the concept of aajiiqatigiingniq. This
means to cooperate, and to develop shared understanding in order to arrive at decisions
through consensus.

All Inuit are expected to become contributing members of their community and to
participate actively in building the strength of the collective. Being able to think and act
collaboratively, to assist with the development of shared understandings, to resolve
conflict in consensus-building ways, and to consult while respecting various perspectives
and world views, are cultural expectations established in the earliest learning contexts
(Armstrong, Being an e-teacher Building Relationships, 2010, para 1, 3, 4)

Real World Connection
In this section of the online workshop IQ is directly applied to a real life issue representative of
and modeled by an Inuit learner. In the module Being an e-teacher, a detailed student profile is
used to highlight a real world issue (language learning) and learners are asked to consider their
expectations of e-learning and the responsibilities of being an e-teacher as this scenario
unfolds. The student profile introduced here is referred to throughout the various modules that
make up the How to be an e-teacher online workshop and is used to prompt reflection on
various aspects of the content.

Opportunities for Reflection
Due to the need for multiple entry and exit points for the learner, reflection activities are
woven throughout the content as the learner progresses through the workshop. Promotion of
self reflection and the its connection to lifelong learning is created through various journal
activities and the use of discussion forums.

Continuing with the example above of the student profile, guided reflection questions are
posed to the learner as they finish reading and examining the various aspects of the student
profile. These questions are designed to leave the learner with areas to consider as they work
through the module content and are built on as the learner progresses through the module.

Content Presentation
A variety of formats were used for content presentation including multimedia interactions, text,
video and audio files. Elders and actual adult Inuit e-learner video and audio files were used to
reinforce the connection to IQ as well as the relevancy of the content and mode of learning.

In the Being an e-teacher module, one of the subsections of content explores what e-learning
is. An excerpt is highlighted below to illustrate the combination of techniques (text, audio,
video and reflective questioning) that are used in the content presentation.

11

Have you been an instructor in a regular classroom? If so, what was it like? As you think
about this, remember that whatever your past experience, it will shape the way you
approach teaching an e-course.

Have a look at the following video. This Arctic College instructor talks about some of the
benefits of e-learning and some of the possibilities that are emerging as a result of new
technologies. Are some of his thoughts new to you? Does he confirm some of what you
already know or might have expected? (Armstrong, 2010)

Follow Up
This section of the online workshops included a variety of activities that were based on the
content examined in the workshop an encouraged the learner to actively explore what they
have learned as a result of participating in the online workshop in the context of the workshop
aim.

In keeping with the IQ component of pilimmaksarniq (skills and knowledge acquisition), the
workshops were not only designed to be learning environments for participants but were also
designed to be models of how to create an IQ based online learning environment for learners.
As a result, the instructional design paradigm that informed the design of the workshops was
constantly being reinforced by the activities, reflection and the way in which the content was
presented to the learner.

In addition to using the structure of each online workshops as a way to infuse IQ throughout
the learner experience, the use of language and vocabulary lists was another strategy that
served to reinforce the IQ presence in the online workshops. Even though the terminology used
to describe the principles of IQ may be slightly different across the various regions of the Arctic,
the premise behind the concepts is the same. The inclusion and support of the IQ terminology
provides a contextual anchor for the content and a framework for the online workshops. Icons,
stories and visuals were all chosen based on their ability to reflect and represent the IQ
principles and offer a connection between the familiar (IQ) and the new.
Design Assumption 2: Use of a Social Constructivist Instructional Design
Paradigm
In many ways, the IQ framework predetermined the instructional design paradigm that
informed the design of the online workshops. Social constructivism and active learning theory
supported the characteristics and components that IQ endeavors to develop in learners and
thus were natural fits as the instructional design paradigm. Social constructivism was defined in
the online workshops as follows:

Social constructivism highlights the importance of collaborating, sharing and reciprocal
learning with the members of a learning community to advance meaningful knowledge
and skill application. This approach begins with the recognition that knowledge transfer
is most effective and most often sustained when learning is mutually supported and
12

applied in a relevant, purposeful application. The learning community shares a common
set of learning goals and expectations and agrees to certain mutual commitments in
order to sustain successful learning outcomes (Armstrong, Being an e-teacher Building
Relationships, 2010, p. 4)

Active learning was defined in th uClnC
A
basic assumptions: (1) that learning is by nature an active endeavor and (2) that different
people lear M ! (Armstrong, What is Active Learning,
2010, para 2)

As a result, the combination of IQ, social constructivism and active learning theory enabled the
content to be presented in a manner that was in keeping with the traditional Inuit approach to
learning and how people learn.

Inuit have developed, over generations, an approach to learning that is grounded in the
expectation that everyone has the ability and obligation to become skilled in an area so
that they can contribute these skills back to their community. Highly skilled people were
an asset to their community because they could contribute these skills to work for the
common good. This is considered by Inuit Elders to one of the four main maligait (big
laws) for Inuit (Together at a Distance, 2010)

While there are a variety of dialects and groups across the Pan Arctic, the components of IQ are
ones that transcend geographical boundaries and resonate with Inuit from across the north.
Using social constructivist and active learning approaches allowed for the content to be
presented primarily from a Nunavut centric parameter but designed in a manner that Inuit
across the Arctic could relate to. The content design and delivery modalities also supported the
future customization of the online workshops to support the language and cultural differences
that may exist between jurisdictions.
Design Assumption 3: Role of a Supportive Learning Community
Based on IQ and the influence of the social constructivist instructional design paradigm,
creating a supportive learning community was a key component of the project design
philosophy. This was defined in the online workshops as follows:

An educational community of inquiry is a group of individuals who collaboratively
engage in purposeful critical discourse and reflection to construct personal meaning and
confirm mutual understanding. The Community of Inquiry theoretical framework
represents a process of creating a deep and meaningful (collaborative-constructivist)
learning experience through the development of three interdependent elements - social,
cognitive and teaching presence (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000, pp. 87-105)

13

This was a key aspect of IQ and resonated with the Elder
would have their own path through the learning environment and yet still be part of the
supportive (Elders, 2010).

It was initially assumed there would be facilitated online support for the interaction between
the participants, the content and the instructional strategies employed in the online workshops.
It was also assumed that the participants would enter the online workshop(s) as a cohort group
and as such, would be able to interact from different physical locations across the north via the
online discussion forums and activities embedded in the workshops.

Based on the evolving parameters of the project, neither of these assumptions were realized.
The result was that many of the participants had a standalone (use case 3 below), self paced,
self study experience in the face-to-face workshop setting of the pilots and in essence, did not
have the experience of being an online learner truly at a distance. However, there were
unexpected participant and project benefits that were a direct result of how the pilots were
executed that are further discussed in the research findings section of this document.
Design Assumption 4: Varied Audience Characteristics
Key to the design philosophy guiding the creation of the online workshops was the
characteristics of the end user audience. The Together at a Distance project had two target
audiences: (1) adult Inuit learners and (2) trainers, facilitators and educators of adult Inuit
learners. There are four Inuit Regions in Canada: Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec),
Nunatsiavut (Labrador) and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region(Northwest Territories). Together
these four regions are called Inuit Nunaat (homeland) and this broad area was the focus for the
audiences of the Together at a Distance project.

By way of context, in 2006, there were 50,480 Inuit in Canada. Of these, 78% (39,475) living in
Inuit Nunaat, approximately two-thirds lived in Nunavut. Of those living outside the homeland,
8,395 lived in large and small urban centres and 2,610 Inuit in rural areas. Thirty-five percent of
the Inuit population is under the age of 15 compared to 18% of the total Canadian population
(Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, 2008, p. 2). Until 2031 a population increase of 70% is expected
(Murray, Jones, Willms, Shillington, McCracken, Glickman, 2008, p.17).

Inuit share cultural, linguistic and traditional values, however they are distinct within Inuit
communities. There are four main language dialects used in Canada: Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut,
Inuttitut and Inuvialuktun. It was not in the scope of the Together at a Distance project to
provide the online workshops in the four main Inuit dialects however, throughout the pilot
workshops participants were encouraged to add resources and create their own online
courseware in their main dialect.

The first two online workshops were designed for an adult Inuit learner audience. These were
defined as those adult Inuit who had completed high school and were in a pre-trades, pre-
employment or workplace learning setting. The remaining four online workshops were
designed for adult Inuit learners who had taken on an educational role in their current work
14

setting as either a facilitator, trainer or community based educator. However, it is important to
note that based on the ability to secure face-to-face pilot site locations, the pilot audiences did
not always match the above descriptions. This is discussed further in the research methodology
section of this document.
Design Assumption 5: Need for Content Integrity
It was a necessary component in the design philosophy that the content for all the online
workshops be at a level of knowledge that was consistent regardless of the multiple audiences
for this content.

Inuit have always understood that each individual has a unique way of processing
information and a unique set of interests and aptitudes that leads them to learning and,
l
acquisition) is about enabling a person to have the skills and knowledge to
w
Once our knowledge base has been established, our knowledge base will be there for us
to keep putting in the new things we are learning, c 55
Elder Advisory Meeting, August 2008: Together at a Distance, 2010)

The Inuit Elders were very clear that they did not want the content written and developed to
the lowest common denominator but rather, counseled that techniques to address multiple
learning styles be used to accommodate the intellectual capabilities of the potential learners.

They particularly liked the manner in which the content is structured through
instructional design and how differentiation and choice is built into the workshop. They
appreciated that the content was not dumbed down and that students are encouraged
and scaffolded toward understanding and competency. They also noted that students
must take ownership and responsibility for their learning path as well (Elders, 2010).

The wide range of literacy skills and capabilities present in the potential audience(s) were
accommodated for by basing the content and the structure of the online workshops on IQ and
by addressing and incorporate multiple learning styles and entry points. To date, much of the
southern courseware that is retrofitted for the north attempts to reduce the complexity of the
content and insert token northern examples to address the perceived difference in audience
characteristics. By having multiple entry points for content and learners, and more importantly,
by having IQ infused in each online workshop, the Together at a Distance online workshops
attempted to offer the learner a contextually rich and authentic learning experience that
recognized and valued the experience the learner brought to experience.
Design Assumption 6: Requirement for Interoperability to Maximize Learner
Access to the Content
Given the open source parameter of the Together at a Distance project, interoperability was a
key component in the design philosophy for the online workshops.
15


It was initially assumed that the online workshops would be built in Moodle - which was the
LMS of choice for the project. However, this would have severely limited the ability for the
online workshops to be imported into other LMS or used in delivery modes like a CD or a
standalone website. This is due to the fact that designing specifically for Moodle, in Moodle,
produces proprietary based content that is limited in where else it can be used even though
Moodle itself is an open source application.

u LMS M lMS as a
hierarchical menu that cannot be expanded or collapsed. This can result in long navigational
menus that can be confusing for the user. Therefore the development model had to be altered
slightly in that each workshop was divided into modules which were then converted into their
own IMS content packages. This then resulted with an issue for the end user who wanted a link
to take them to the next module. Breaking up the workshop modules into discreet experiences
for the user eliminated the overwhelming length of the sidebar navigation recognized the
needs of the audience and their level of comfort with technology.

In taking the direction to develop the online version to the IMS cp standard, it provided future
flexibility for the package to be imported into Moodle or any other LMS and be displayed with a
consistent integrated left navigation frame. This created a more intimate and logical experience
for the user as opposed to the traditional Moodle user interface which is link driven. In
addition, the IMS content packages can be imported into any other LMS that supports the IMS
standard.

Given that one of the stated project aims was to support open source access to the workshops,
interoperability became the means to achieve that aim so that the end produce was flexible
and could meet the needs of any other Pan Arctic jurisdiction. By designing and creating the
workshops to the IMS interoperability content standard (IMS 1.2.2) there was a greater
LMS
future. Four use cases were created to guide the scope of interoperability necessary for the
Together at a Distance online workshops.

Use Case (1) - Stand Alone Version
This use case assumed that participants would need to access the course content with no
internet connectivity. This could be done via DVD or CD or on a flash drive. In several of the
pilot workshops, flash drives were used to enable participants to access the content when the
server was slow loading or on their home computers in the evening.

Use Case (2) Import Content Packages into Users LMS
This use case assumed that other jurisdictions would need to be able to take the IMS content
packages created for this project and import them into their specific LMS. Given that some
territories are moving in the direction of a territory-wide license to an LMS, this use case
allowed for the LMS of choice to be transparent and not the limiting factor to use.
16


Use Case (3) Limited Connectivity
This use case assumed that there would be several participants that would be enrolled in the
Moodle or LMS course but would have limited bandwidth. As a result, they would rely on a
standalone version for their primary access to the content and only go online via their LMS for
the discussion forums or the journal activities. In many of the pilot sites, this use case was the
norm given the strength of the wireless signal and the number of users in the room.

Use Case (4) iFrame Interface
For communities with limited bandwidth and/or for participants that had limited or no access
to the internet, a iFrame navigational interface was developed to utilize the html content from
the IMS content packages to produce a fully standalone version that could be accessed through
an internet browser either offline or online. The navigational style of the iFrame mimicked the
left hand navigation for the Moodle users. The participant still required Internet access should
they choose to view some of the embedded links however, the social constructivist aspects
designed into the fully functional course were limited in this use case.

Based on the above design assumptions, the Together at a Distance series of online workshops
were created. This document reports, examines and discusses the research findings that
emerged from the Together at a Distance project across the nine pilot workshops in six pilot
sites.
Research Theoretical Framework
There is a long-standing tradition in the North of effective action-based, community-based
research and its ability to drive policy development across a wide range of fields. As a result, it
was essential to approach the research on the Together at a Distance project using a
participatory, inquiry-based action research framework.

Using a participatory, inquiry-based action research framework created space for the project
team to (1) directly involve and build on existing relationships with the Elders; (2) ground the
project design model in IQ, and (3) to remain dynamically responsive to the online learning
experience and associated needs of the adult Inuit learners provided via the pilot workshops.
Definitions Used
The following definitions were used throughout this project.

E-learning encompasses all learning that takes place online, including distance learning
and lifelong learning, facilitated by an e-teacher or on your own.

Digital Literacy is the ability to locate, organize, understand, evaluate and create
information using digital technology. It involves a working knowledge of current high-
technology, and an understanding of how it can be used. Digitally literate people can
17

communicate and work more efficiently, especially with those who possess the same
knowledge and skills.
Research Questions
This research project initially began investigating the following two areas:
1. The change in access and awareness of literacy opportunities for the Inuit population in
NWT, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut as a result of the Together at a Distance online
workshops on e-learning.
2. The capacity for facilitators and trainers to prepare adult literacy e-learning in the Pan-
Arctic as a result of their participation in the Together at a Distance online workshops.

However, the recursive nature of the project design model provided opportunities for a further
refinement of the research/project goals while the project was developed and implemented.
The revised research goals include the above as well as the following:
1. The relevance of IQ to the online learning experience of the adult Inuit learner (including
learner, facilitator, designer and teacher).
2. The functional and instructional design requirements of e-learning for the adult Inuit
learner to enhance accessibility and relevance.
3. The support for the development of mastery and an individualized toolset of resources
and tools for future real world application.
Research Methodology
Inuit from all four main Inuit population geographical areas (NWT, Nunavut, Nunavik and
Nunatsiavut) were approached to participate in this research project via online newsletters,
posters, advertisements, personal communications from members of the project team, and a
formal project launch. As of May 2010, members of the project team had facilitated 9 face-to-
face workshops at 6 locations across these 4 geographical areas. Eighty-six (86) adult Inuit

target audience group and 76 representing t l
group.

Each face-to-face pilot workshop was a minimum of two days in duration with one being
conducted synchronously via Elluminate. A facilitators guide was created for use at the face-to-
face pilots to ensure consistency of message as well as technical support protocols (see
Appendix A). Data collection was done through a 46 item online survey at the completion of W2
which addressed the content of W1 and W2 as well as a separate 46 item online survey at the
completion of W4.

For W1/W2, the survey questions covered six broad areas: (1) general demographic
information, (2) motivation, (3) e-learning and digital literacy skills, (4) awareness of e-learning
opportunities, (5) online workshop design, (6) IQ. These areas were developed from a review of
the literature, the research questions and the design philosophy informing this project.

18

For W4 the survey questions covered five broad areas: (1) general demographic information, (2)
motivation, (3) awareness of facilitation and workshop preparation skills for e-learning design
and delivery, (4) online workshop design, and (5) IQ. In both cases, the survey took
approximately thirty minutes to complete. Principles of survey design as outlined by Seale and
Filmer (1998) informed the creation of the survey instrument. The first face-to-face pilot group
(Taloyoak) were used as a pilot of the survey instrument to ensure that the survey questions
were interpreted as intended. Minor adjustments were made to the wording of three questions
based on that feedback. See Appendix B and C for W2 and W4 survey questions.

Focus groups were held with participants prior to the conclusion of the face-to-face pilot
workshops. See Appendix D for the Focus Group Protocol used by pilot facilitators. The original
intent had been that community members would facilitate the face-to-face pilots but due to
issues of logistics and the timing of the release of the How to e-facilitate online workshop, that
was not able to be realized.
Research Sites
Nine pilot face-to-face workshops were conducted in six communities over the course of this
project. Each community is briefly described below to provide context for the participant
experience in the face-to-face pilot and the online workshops as well as the focus group
discussions. The workshop sites are presented in chronological order and a discussion of the
audience(s) of each workshop is included as they varied from the original research plan because
of participant availability.
Taloyoak, Nunavut September 21 25, 2009
Taloyoak is located at 69N on the shores of Stanners Harbour on the Arctic Ocean. It is the
most northern community on the Canadian mainland and has a population of approximately
850 people with 98% being Inuit. Two face-to-face pilots were held here: (1) Hamlet staff, and
(2) Netsilik School Teachers. The project QINIQ modem and router were used an internet
connectivity was weather dependant but reliable throughout the workshop and participation
was consistent by both groups over the course of the workshop. Four project laptops (MAC
Books) were used in addition to seven borrowed from the school. The pilots were held in the
Council Chambers for the Hamlet staff and in the school for the teachers. A flexible attendance
philosophy was assumed for both groups as the doctor was in town for four days, there was a
seal lift, some participants had child care issues and the flu was going around.

There was a wide range in literacy levels in each group predominantly in the area of
1 l
steered most participants to the CD version of the workshop two as it is faster (not
requiring Internet access) and has a more attractive menu (Burgess, 2009, p. 2 - 3).
Arctic Bay, Nunavut November 4 5, 2009
Arctic Bay is located at 73 2.2' N on the northern part of the Borden Peninsula on Baffin Island.
It has a population of approximately 690 people, 93% Inuit. Two face-to-face pilots were held
19

here: (1) pre-trades program and, (2) pre-employment program. There were two project team
facilitators so the pilots were held concurrently in two classrooms at the Arctic College campus.
The project QINIQ modem and router were used and the internet connection was slow and
inconsistent throughout the workshops. Flash had to be installed on the Arctic College
computers with the help of the systems administrator which took up valuable workshop time
on Day 1. The connectivity was slow so the stand-alone option was favored on Day 2.

The pre-trades group was generally younger, more focused on learning with computers
and more -employment group had a wider age
range, more literacy challenges and were not as comfortable with computers (Childs &
Burgess, 2009, p. 1)
Nain, Nunatsiavut December 7 10, 2009
Nain is the northernmost municipality in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador at 56N.
It has a population of approximately 1,159 people who are mostly Inuit and Kablunangajuit.
Two pilots were held here: (1) Cultural Centre Staff and, (2) ABE students. The internet
connection was fair but using the stand alone option was not available as the USB ports on the
computers had been locked down.

Participants with low literacy skill struggled with the quantity of text but the younger
ABE group had a comfort level with technology that helped. None had any issues with
the navigation. They were overall less intimidated and more confident than the older
pre-employment group in Arctic Bay but were also quicker to skim over anything they did
not understand (Burgess, Pilot Report Nunatsiavut Dec 09, 2009, p. 5)
Iqaluit, Nunavut February 22 26, 2010
Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut and is located on southern Baffin Island at 62 10.4' N. It has a
population of approximately 6,184 people with 58% Inuit. One week-long pilot was held here
with 12 Northern Teacher Education Program (NTEP) students ranging from being in their
second to forth years. The project QINIQ modem and router were used and the internet
connection was slow and inconsistent throughout the workshops. To address this, all
workshops were downloaded onto the project MAC laptops and one individual laptop so that
when the internet was slow or down participants could use the stand-alone versions. There was
a wide range of ages and literacy levels (in English) in the group but many were comfortable
with basic computer use.

The workshop took place during the week of K-12 school break so child care was an issue for
consistent participants. However, the two students that this impacted did work on the
workshops at home in the evenings prior to coming to the sessions the next day. The workshop
was held in a classroom at the Arctic College campus. Given the NTEP program focus, much
time was spent using some of the activities in the How to teach an e-course workshop in the
face-to-face setting. l u l
20

l lC l
(Iqaluit Workshop Participants, 2010).
Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories (NWT) April 13 15, 2010
Fort Simpson is located on an island at the confluence of the Mackenzie and the Liard Rivers at
61 n l pulation of approximately 1,216. Due to the lack of facilitator availability
and the limited time window for this pilot, this was the only Together at a Distance pilot done
virtually via Elluminate a synchronous classroom. It is also the only pilot of the project to be
done in NWT and with non-Inuit participants. All participants of this pilot were Dene. The pilot
was held over three mornings with W1 and W2 of Together at a Distance being completed on
the first two mornings and the focus group being the focus of the Elluminate session the third
A A8L 1 ctor reported that all students have a moderate
(MacDonald, 2010, p. 1)
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut May 10 14, 2010
Rankin Inlet is located on the northwestern shore of Hudson Bay at 62 49.2' N and is the
second largest community in Nunavut. It has a population of approximately 2,358 people with
82% being Inuit. The pilot was held here with seven Northern Teacher Education Program
(NTEP) students over the course of four afternoons as they were occupied with an NTEP course
in the mornings. The project QINIQ modem and router as well as the existing network was used
and the internet connection seemed to be reasonable. Participants used their own olde
Dell laptops and the workshop content was also downloaded onto the laptops directly so that
they could work on the stand-alone version when connectivity was slow. The workshop was
held in a classroom at the Alaittuq High School.

The pilot workshop w u O
orientation to the project, the T@D portal and both Moodle and the stand-alone
versions of the workshops. Workshop 1 was briefly introduced with Workshop 2 being
the main focus for the students. Students used an amended version of the worksheets
Nw1 -learning workshops were introduced in greater detail to
the participants. The How to Teach an e-course was presented as a valuable workshop
towards their professional development. The How to Adapt an e-course was presented
as a workshops to assist in evaluating digital learning resources for classroom or e-
learning use. Many participants intended to work through the workshops during the
summer (Armstrong, T@D Focus Group Rankin Inlet, 2010, p. 2).
Research Findings
As Table 1 outlines, all 86 participants completed at minimum, W1 (What is e-learning?) and
W2 (How to take an e-course?) online with several reading through and discussing the content
in W3 W6. While there were 86 participants in the pilot workshops across the six locations,
only 52 online surveys were successfully completed due to intermittent connectivity when the
surveys were being completed which resulted in transmission errors. There were 52 formal
completions of W1/W2 course resulting in the submission of the W1/W2 online survey.
21


The disparity in the number of participants versus completions of the survey is attributed to
two separate factors: (1) intermittent connectivity at pilot sites when completing and uploading
survey and, (2) a possible overwrite error in the Moodle online survey tool at two of the pilot
sites. The findings below include the survey data of the 52 completions as well as the focus
group data from all pilot cites. Of the 52 that did complete the W1/W2 online survey, 46 were
Inuit, 4 were Dene and 2 were Caucasian.

There was one formal completion of W4 (How to teach and e-course?) and submission of the
W4 online survey and one informal completion of W6 (How to design an e-course?) with no
survey completed but an informal discussion with the workshop facilitator. In addition, an
unsolicited participant completed W6 in June of 2010 after data collection had concluded. Data
from this unsolicited participant is not included as part of this report.

Table 1: Together at a Distance Pilot Community Participation


General Demographics
Of the 52 participants that completed the W1/W2 online survey, 58% were female. This is
consistent with the demographics of the populations in the pilot communities as well as the
target groups that were represented in the pilots; predominantly education and municipal
government. 73% of participants were under the age of 39 which is again consistent with the
demographics of the Inuit population (ITK, 2008). The majority (50%) had completed grades 10
12 with 15% having completed Grades 7 u 8
Pilot Date Community
Number of
Participants
Learner Profile Workshops
1 Sept 2009 Taloyoak, Nunavut 11 local government staff W1, W2
2 Sept 2009 Taloyoak, Nunavut 18 school teachers W1, W2
3 Nov 2009 Arctic Bay, Nunavut
11 (7
students, 4
instructors)
pre-trades W1, W2, W4
4 Nov 2009 Arctic Bay, Nunavut 8 pre-employment W2
5 Dec 2009 Nain, Nunatsiavut 2 Cultural Centre Staff W1, W2
6 Dec 2009 Nain, Nunatsiavut
8 (7 ABE, 1
instructor )
ABE students W1, W2
7 Feb 2010 Iqaluit, Nunavut
15 (12-NTEP, 3
instructor)
teacher ed students &
instructor
W1 W6
8 April 2010
Fort Simpson,
Nunavut
5 (4 ABE, 1
instructor for
W4)
ABE students &
instructor
W2, W4
9 May 2010
Rankin Inlet,
Nunavut
8 (7 NTEP, 1
instructor)
teacher ed students &
instructor
W2
TOTAL
9 86
22

degree and 12% having completed a College Diploma. The majority of the 52 participants were
full time or part-time students (65%) with others working for a municipality (17%).

With respect to digital literacy which was defined above, 73% had never taken an online course
before but 71% of participants rated their comfort level with respect to technology prior to

W1/W2 Survey, 2009/10) because of their use of the online environment for
downloading music, shopping and social networking (i.e. Bebo

) etc. This increased to 83%

after their participation in the online workshops. When asked their comfort level with e-
very uncomfortable (10%) to
somewhat uncomfortable ( WW S 10) When asked to rate their comfort

increase of 13%. Many commented on the
value of having a face-to-face instructor there to quickly answer their technology questions
Survey Participant, Iqaluit, Feb 2010).

The following themes emerged from the data; (1) motivation, (2) e-learning and digital literacy
skills, (3)access to e-learning opportunities, and (4) IQ and Online Workshop Design. These are
discussed in detail below.
Themes from Workshop 1/Workshop 2
Theme: Motivation
The top four reasons for participating in W1/W2 as identified by participants included; (1)
professional growth (48%), (2) educational advancement (46%) and, (3) improve computer skills
(42%); work related (42%). Table 2 illustrates the self-reported differences of participant
motivation for completing the online workshops pre/post W1/W2 completion.

Table 2: Together at a Distance W1/W2 Survey Motivation Data
Item Expectation
(Pre
completion)
Experience
(Post
Completion)
Difference
Engage in learning at times that fit my lifestyle 42% 44% < 2%
Engage in self-paced learning 40% 44% >4%
Explore e-learning 79% 63% <16%
Learn how to use the computer 17% 21% >4%
Achieve IQ continuous learning 23% 35% >12%
Meet work requirements for continuous learning 31% 27% <4%
Build digital literacy 19% 23% >4%
See what e-learning is out there that might be useful 56% 42% <14%

In addition to the above motivating factors, participants identified other reasons that they
would get involved in e- n1L
acquire e-learning skills to n1L WW S ).
23


When asked whether their motivation to pursue further e-learning opportunities had increased
as
The following commentary provides a sense of
the features and aspects of online learning that the participants found meaningful.

1 l I feel that this is something that could be
beneficial for a lot of people living i S 8

? l without leaving my S
Respondent, 2009/10).

Many participants in the focus group comments discussed how now that they had an exposure
to e-learning it was something that they would consider adding to their toolkit as they look for
other educational opportunities.

In all the pilot sites, the slow internet connection, number of downloads or links and the heavy
load this placed on the computers were cited as the main barriers to e-learning (Iqaluit Focus
Group, 2010). In addition, several commented on the length of time sitting in front of the
computer screen (Arctic Bay Focus Group, 2009) but when this was discussed further they
appreciated that in a self-directed online experience, they would not be gathering in a face-to-
face setting to do the online workshop but would be able to do them at their own pace in their
own location. This was seen by several participants as one of the benefits of learning in this
manner (Arctic Bay Focus Group; Iqaluit Focus Group; Rankin Inlet Focus Group, 2009/10).

Theme: E-Learning and Digital Literacy Skills
In the online survey, participants were asked to identify the various ways they currently use the
Internet in their daily life. The predominant use (83%) was for social networking with using it as
a search tool (73%) and to download music (65%), play games (63%) or read the news (60%) as
the next immediate uses. These uses were reinforced in the workshops themselves with several
participants switching between their social sites and the online workshops during the day.
However, even with the level of comfort and familiarity with the Internet for information
gathering and social connections, several participants felt they would not have been able to
complete the online workshops without having a face-to-face facilitator present. W
know what S 8espondent, 2009/10).

When asked what specific continuous learning skills had improved as a result of their
participation in the online workshops, participants indentified the following: (1) develop a
learning plan (60%), seek out learning materials and resources (44%), apply new knowledge and
skills (44%), recognize individual learning style (38%), learn from past experiences and apply
lessons learned (29%). The use of the learning plan for many was a new tool to add to their
continuous learning toolkit and several commented on its value beyond the online learning
application.

24

l (the learning plan brackets added) makes me plot dot I have to do with my own
S 8espondent, 2009/10).

l W C was a great introduction to what e-learning is all about. I
found the e-learning plan to be particularly useful for helping me think about what
exactly I would like to learn, or to learn more about in the future. It also helped me to
think about when exactl l S 8espondent, 2009/10).

When asked whether their digital literacy skills had improved as a result of their participation in
the online workshops, 87% said yes. This was further delineated when they were asked
whether they felt their computer skills increased as a result of completing the online workshops
and 81% said that they had. It is recognized that the limited duration of the face-to-face pilots
makes it difficult to have a measure of the actual increase of digital literacy skills over time
however, participants did identify seven specific areas of skill increase over the course of the
workshop(s). These are represented in Table 3.

Table 3: Participant Identified Areas of Computer Skills Increase
Skill Percentage of
Participants
Search more effectively 40%
Enroll in an online course 33%
Use a Learning Management System (LMS) 23%
Navigate the Internet 21%
Finding, downloading and listening to a podcast 15%
Using a headset and microphone 15%
Using Inuktitut fonts 12%

While the majority of survey respondents had rated themselves as comfortable or very
comfortable with computers, what became clear as they worked through the online workshops
was that their comfort level was for their familiar applications such as Facebook or YouTube.
l

and Bebo

(MacDonald, 2010, p. 1) Many of them initially did not possess an understanding of computer
basics such as searching or saving files to the desktop. For this sub-set, W1 and W2 provided a
base level of understanding of computers that they were thankful for.

When asked directly if they felt they had more knowledge and skills with technology and

included the following: can use a keyboard and mouse; can sign up for an email account;
can search in Google (Childs & Burgess, 2009, p. 2)

Others, such as the NTEP students, who use computers daily in their work were much more
comfortable with basic digital literacy skills and tended to focus on the content in W1 and W2
that extended these skills for them such as podcasting etc. Both of these groups are reflected in
25

the 87% of participants who felt that their digital literacy improved as a result of their
participation in the online workshops.

more comfortable with e- arning was smooth and
-learning before, this process was
l S l C
April 2010).

Theme: Awareness of E-Learning Opportunities
The majority of participants (94%) felt that their awareness of other e-learning opportunities
available to them had increased as a result of their participation in the online workshops.
Several of them commented on how valuable it was to learn about both the various e-learning
opportunities as well as the different technology such as Skype

, the Inuktitut fonts and the

Living Dictionary in the focus group discussions.

n l out
the l C articipant, Fort Simpson 2010).

l
to use in lessons (e.g. Videos speci nu S 8espondent, 2009/10).

n xperience (with e-learning brackets added), it was all new, very interesting
and now realize there are so many opportunities, would like to do future e-
(Focus Group Participant, Fort Simpson, 2010).

W2 How to be an e-learner is not covered in the high schools now but it would be so
beneficial to introduce W2 in the high schools to give them a leg up. Valuable tool to

see very many of the choices you actually have so learning through the web will help
nd learn what else is out there (Focus Group Discussion, Iqaluit
Feb 2010).

Participants were asked in the W1/W2 online survey whether they felt that because of their
participation in the online workshops they had the skills needed to select future e-learning
opportunities. 92% felt that they did and 93% of participants felt that they had an awareness of
the e-learning supports available. The specific supports were not identified in the survey
instrument and lack of time prevented them from begin discussed in the follow up focus
groups. spondence learning, this experience was
more than expected and now aware of new opportunities
and provided more information, now understand what e-learning can be, makes it simple to
learn (MacDonald, 2010, p. 1-2)

26

Theme: IQ and Online Workshop Design
As discussed in the Design Assumptions section of this document, there were two aspects to
theme of IQ and the design of the online workshops: (1) IQ as the guiding philosophy for
content presentation and meaningful connections and, (2) the structure of the online
workshops themselves as it contributed to the end user experience. These two components are
discussed separately below.
IQ as a Guiding Philosophy
Initial participants expressed the need to have something that supported the introduction and
foundation aspects of IQ in relation to learning and continuous. In keeping with the
participatory design approach used in this project, a foundational module in IQ was built to
address this feedback. While initially one would expect all end users to be familiar with IQ,
given that the critical pedagogy model being used to guide education in Nunavut is still under
development it is not surprising that this foundational module was requested and found to be
valuable by participants. The online module on that introduces IQ and provides its foundation
builds on the current work being done on the critical pedagogy model for education in Nunavut
and applies it to an e-learning environment.

Participants were asked to comment on whether the workshop design which included the IQ
focus
and understandable especi L S 8 ).
Several participants found it
S 8 ).
1 was eas S 8
2009/10).

In keeping with the design philosophy described above, a variety of multi media were used to
convey the content. The majority (64%) of the participants found that the pictures, stories and
vocabulary supports encouraged them to learn more and was motivational. 77% of participants
felt that the inclusion of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) assisted in their learning while 83% of the
participants identified the inclusion of the Elders comments to be important in their learning.

ople and there was even real Elders so it was pretty
S 8 ).

l L S 8
2009/10).

1 L 1 d they are passing
down their knowledge in a totally different way (not orally but through
l C articipant, Rankin Inlet 2010).

The value of the inclusion of IQ and the Elders comments was illustrated again when the NTEP
participants were asked how they could see using some or all of the online workshops with
27

their students in their teaching and several commented on the value of the Elders stories and
L tories to an iPod or MP3
L l C l

With respect to the actual structure of the online workshop and the associated end user
experience, the following themes emerged from the survey data, focus group discussions and
participants online journals.

Online Workshop Design and Structure - User Experience
Page Layout and Structure
In terms of the actual page layout and design choices, many commented on the value of having
the stand-alone version that could be downloaded via USB key to individual computers (Use
Case I above) as it made the process of watching the videos or listening to the audio files much
quicker. Many also commented that they found the stand-alone version easier to navigate. The
overall structure of the workshops (workshop/module/content/activities) was new to several
pilot site participants and many commented that more needed to be provided to orient
participants to how the overall workshop was structured and sequenced (Burgess, Taloyoak
Pilot Report, 2009; Childs & Burgess, 2009).

Several participants identified a need for an overall orienting table that identified the content in
each module and the associated assignments and reflective activities. In response to this
feedback, in the Iqaluit 2010 face-to-face pilot, this was done on flipcharts and posted around
the room. Participants commented that they found it very valuable as it kept them on track and
ensured that they did not inadvertently miss something by not knowing and/or forgetting to
click to go deeper into the information (Iqaluit Focus Group, 2010).

Based on this feedback, this strategy was then incorporated in the Fort Simpson and Rankin
Inlet pilots where detailed worksheets were provided for participants and many commented

content-levels and navigation was needed. Significant time was spent in the orientation session
addressing these concerns and post-workshop feedback indicated that the extra attention to
(MacDonald, 2010, p. 1-2)
Navigating Embedded Content
For several users, the digital literacy skills on images or mouse over images
or audio icons to go deeper into the embedded content and then being able to navigate back to
their recent page was one that was new to them (Childs & Burgess, 2009). As a result, many
participants across many of the pilots felt they had made it through all of the content in W2,
W4 only to find upon discussion with the facilitator that they had missed several supporting and
important pieces because they had only skimmed through the main links and not navigated
deeper. Learning how to use the sub-menus on each page and ha
pages in each module were put forward by participants as suggestions to address this (Iqaluit
28

Focus Group 2010; Arctic Bay Focus Group 2009). This feedback informed the pilots of Fort
Simpson and Rankin Inlet.

In previous pilots it was speculated that participants were not delving all the way into
the content (i.e. definitions, explanation, opportunities to explore applications,
instructional videos, Elders comments, learning tool etc.). Worksheets were designed to
ensure parti 8
participants reported the worksheets were highly effective. Not only did the worksheets
make e-learning fun for participants, it also helped them to confirm they reviewed all
available content. Further development might also include a checklist to accompany
each module to further assist learners in tracking their learning path (MacDonald, 2010,
p. 2-3)
Volume of Text on Screen
For the majority of participants who did not use computers as part of their daily routine, the
amount of text was overwhelming and for some, intimidating, as it constituted quite a bit of
reading in English which for many is not their first language (Arctic Bay Focus Group, 2009). As a
result, many participants
(Childs & Burgess,
2009, p. 2). Additional navigational icons were suggested by participants and these were
incorporated into subsequent versions of the workshop (Iqaluit Focus Group, 2010) and the
worksheets mentioned above provided additional support in this area as well.

The feedback from the Arctic Bay pilot led to a redesign of W2 to address the volume of text on
screen. The changes made included additional chunking of the content into more manageable
amounts and adding additional opportunities for learner choice including videos, audio files,
web links, flash animations etc. Subsequent pilot feedback confirmed that these additions were
quite effective in addressing the volume of text on screen and empowering the user to make
choices on how they wanted to experience the content.

ptions

choices and a variety of ways to move through the content (Iqaluit Focus Group, Feb
2010).
Language Level
There were three aspects to the level and type of language used in the online workshops based
on the feedback from the Elders and best practices in the field of online learning: (1) level of
English, (2) technical vocabulary and, (3) IQ vocabulary.

To address the varying levels of English fluency, the online workshops were designed with
multiple paths through the content using videos, audios, flash animations and text based
content presentation. This offered participants various ways to experience the content that
were not solely dependent upon their ability to fluently read English.
29


To support the English language learning and also address the technical (e-learning specific)
vocabulary aspect of the online workshops, glossary of terms and on-screen vocabulary text
boxes were provided. This enabled participants to find the definition of the new word or term
and put it into context.

The context or relevance piece was provided by the use of IQ terminology and vocabulary
throughout the workshops. It was grounded in the IQ module which introduced IQ and
examined the foundational aspects of IQ. This knowledge was built upon in each module.
Where new technical terminology was introduced, IQ concepts were used to help explain in
part, the meaning of the technical term. The IQ vocabulary was of great interest to many users
and the connections it facilitated between what they were learning about e-learning and their
IQ knowledge they were building on were quite strong.

1 l W A 8 l l C M

1 le, had Inuktitut words, go u8L S 8
2009/10)

While some participants (Iqaluit, Arctic Bay, Fort Simpson) commented that the English
language level was too high in W2, all participants commented on the value of the vocabulary
support in the online workshops. Several participants reported learning new vocabulary as a
result of participating in the workshops (Iqaluit, Fort Simpson, Rankin Inlet).

M l S l C A
Themes from W4, W5 and W6
The audience that was initially the target for W4, W5, and W6 were to be adult Inuit learners
who had taken on an educational role in their current work setting as either a facilitator, trainer
or community based educator. However, due to logistics and availability, this was not the
audience that was secured for the pilot workshops. Three participants at the Arctic Bay pilot
(2009), seven participants at the Iqaluit pilot (2010), four participants at the Rankin Inlet pilot
(2010) and one participant at the Fort Simpson pilot (2010) explored the content of W4, W5
and/or W6. For the most part, those who completed W4, W5 and W6 were participants in the
Northern Teacher Education Program (NTEP) who were preparing to teach in the face-to-face K-
12 classroom. Five of the participants in W4 were Arctic College faculty and one participant was
an Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

In keeping with the participatory nature of this project, all W4, W5 and W6 participants were
directly asked to provide feedback on how to make the online workshops more effective for the
intended audience. While only one participant completed the W4 online survey, feedback was
gathered from all participants of W4, W5 and W6 in the form of online journal activities, self-
reflections, one-to-one dialogue and focus group discussion. As with other feedback gathered
1 u
30

project team honored the feedback from W4, W5 and W6 participants by directly applying their
feedback to the actual design and structure of the online workshops.

Working through the entire module, in the back of my mind, I kept wondering when
family was going to be mentioned as part of the support group and team (for e-
learning). Just a suggestion to add to the idea of successfully having spouse, family and
friends involved in e-learning if aiming for success (W4 participant, Journal Entry
Working as a Team Module 2, Feb 2010).

As the above quotation illustrates, W4, W5 and W6 participants offered direct corrections and
suggestions on language and identified required supports for the learner which were
incorporated into subsequent versions of the online workshops and provide evidence of the
effectiveness of the iterative design model used in this project.

Theme: Motivation
The survey respondent rated the following four motivating factors for taking W4: (1) personal
interest, (2) work related, (3) professional growth and, (4) learn how to teach online effectively.
They identified that they had received positive support from their employer and colleagues to
participate in W4. Other participants in W4, W5 and W6 commented on the need to remain
current on learning technology and teaching methods as a motivator for their participation in
the workshops.

The expectations for W4 that were identified by the survey respondent included having an
opportunity to explore e-learning, to met work requirements for continuous learning and to
learn how to teach or facilitate e-learning effectively. Based on the survey feedback, post W4
they felt they had explored e-learning and met work requirements for continuous learning
(Survey Respondent, 2009/10).

l tting in the
l Survey
Respondent, 2009/10).

One of the main motivational barriers identified for by participants for not being able to use
what they were learning in their work was the lack of onsite IT support, Facebook, YouTube
and streaming video not available (Survey Respondent, 2009/10). Several participants
recognized the role that the intermittent connectivity issues played in learner motivation to
complete an online course and commented on the value of the stand-alone option for these
workshops as a means to address the connectivity issue.

Theme: Awareness of Facilitation and Workshop Preparation Skills for E-Learning Design and
Delivery
Several participants in W4 commented on the value they found in the various checklists and
tool sets that they were able to download, print and take away for their toolkit. Many remarked
31

in their online self-reflective journals of the need to print or download specific checklists to use
when working with students in their face-to-face teaching.

8
-reflection journal,
W4 Participant, 2009/10).

The majority of W4 participants found the content to be very valuable and applicable to their
face-to- C A C W l
going to use some of this (W4) content in my pedagogy class next term. What is presented here
u l l

The survey participant identified the following goals for W4 and W5 for the T@D project: (1)
model new ways of learning and teaching, (2) teach you how to facilitate e-learning and, (3)
provide flexible learning that can be accessed anywhere, anytime. However, when asked
whether his teaching practice had changed as a result of taking W4 How to Teach an e-course
he responded that it had not as he was expecting to learn how to setup the technology and
operate it (Survey Respondent, 2009/10). It was not in the scope of the Together at a Distance
project to provide technical training but based on the comments from participants on the lack
of IT support in the north, this may be an area for future online course development.

Many participants in W4, W5 and W6 commented that they would be using the skills they
acquired in W4 to seek out e-learning teaching and facilitating opportunities to further develop
their skills (Survey Respondent, 2009/10; Focus Group, Iqaluit, 2010). One participant was
interested in setting up an online course to support their learners at a distance across the
various Arctic College sites. They were hoping to create content in the course shell and also use
the discussion forums to facilitate online discussion and the development of a community of
learners (personal communication, K. Kaluraq, Feb 2010). As the below quotation indicates, the
journal entries of this participant evidence the thinking and consideration of what was valuable
in their experience of W4 that they wanted to carry over to the online course they were hoping
to create.

8 M
sure they can get what they need (software) and keep them up to date on the technical
programs they have to have in order to be successful -reflection journal, W4
Participant, 2010).

Theme: IQ and Online Workshop Design
As discussed in the Design Assumptions section of this document, there were two aspects to
theme of IQ and the design of the online workshops: (1) IQ as the guiding philosophy for
content presentation and connections and (2) the structure of the online workshops
themselves as it contributed to the end user experience. These two components are discussed
separately below.
32

IQ as a Guiding Principle
For the majority of W4, W5 and W6 participants, the inclusion of IQ as a design philosophy was
identified as valuable. For some participants who were non-Inuit, the IQ module that addressed
the foundational components of IQ was instrumental in their understanding of the concepts
associated with IQ.

l S awareness. There are many ideas to become acquainted with. It is
l -reflection journal, W4 participant, 2010).

l l
n l g about Inuit IQ is
somewhat irrelevant to learning about e- elf-reflection journal and survey
response, 2010).

The W4 participant who completed the W4 survey identified that they were neutral on the
value of the videos, pictures and stories woven throughout the module and that they did not
! l
tired of REFLECTING and journal writing in post-secon S 8
2009/10). Although this was not probed further in the focus group, it appears from their
comment that they were viewing this online workshop through the lens of their previous
experiences with post-secondary courses. This l
M WC1 W participant, 2010).

As several W4 participants expressed, their experience with W4 provided them with alternative
ways of conceiving how online learning could be created. For many Inuit participants, this
included incorporating videos, pictures and Elder stories throughout the learner experience.

A l l e
are most represented. But I think that I am biased when saying that because I am an
Inuit mys 8 l l C articipant, 2010).


L ere inter l S l Croup, 2010).
Online Workshop Design User Experience
As mentioned above, the W4, W5 and W6 participants were asked directly to provide comment
and feedback on readability, language, errors and omissions or additions that they felt would
make the online workshop experience stronger for the intended end users. Several participants
provided detailed feedback and corrections to grammar, spelling and use of language and these
were incorporated into the subsequent versions of W4, W5 and W6. An example is provided
below:

33

k -learning in the Case Study description it talks about a housing project
case study that is online. It does not have a link to this. Perhaps the link should be
! 8esponse, W4 participant 2010).

When asked whether the workshop design was valuable to them as a learner, a survey
respondent commented as follows.

N1 1 l
learned about regarding online delivery of content but mostly it was just a lot of reading
which would have been easier to read as a printed document. The links provided some
candy with the meal but were not essential to understanding the general reading
content of the course (Survey Respondent, 2009/10).

Unfortunately, this was not explored further with this respondent as it indicates that perhaps
they did not view or examine the embedded content in the workshop flash animations, videos
and audio files. The survey participant provided additional comments on the workshop user
8ln1 ALL l
involved without being tied t S 8 ) would be a
valuable addition. In addition, they wonder No workbook to accompany
course. No testing? For example, why not demonstrate how to use text-to-speech at this
I wanted to actually see how the technology works since I already am familiar with
the basics of teaching/facilitating (Survey Respondent, 2009/10).

As reported above, part of what the W4 survey participant identified as expecting to learn,
namely how the technology works, was not the scope or goal of the Together at a Distance
project. However, it does point to an area of potential need that could be addressed via online
courses and tutorials.

Other feedback from W4, W5 and W6 participants was that the design of the workshops was
l l C worksheets
l S
Focus Group Participant, 2010).
Key Findings
Based on the experience of the pilots conducted with the Together at a Distance online
workshops there are a variety of key messages that emerged from the survey data, the focus
group discussion, the self-reflections and online journals and the facilitators observations and
discussions with participants. These are discussed below and where appropriate, aspects of the
Government of Nunavut 2010 Report Card are used to illustrate the connection between the
work done in this project and potential ways in which it addresses some of the list of
recommendations presented to the Government of Nunavut to improve education and training
outcomes.
34

Key Finding 1: Holistic Design Model
Using a collaborative and iterative design, development and implementation model for the
Together at a Distance project allowed the resulting project deliverables to be community
based and inclusive of the perspectives of Elders, youth, northern educators and content
experts. It ensured that the infusion of IQ into the online workshops was accurate, effective and
relevant to the audience as evidenced by the survey responses and the focus group data. This
iterative quality of the design model built on the principles of IQ and incorporated user
centered design and valued it by responding to the feedback from participants in some cases,
immediately.

The holistic design model enabled the project team to directly involve and build on existing
relationships with the Elders and to have ongoing input from Inuit educators and Elders through
all three stages of the project (design, development and implementation). This allowed the
project team, the online content and the face-to-face pilot workshops to remain dynamically
responsive to the online learning needs and cultural realities of the adult Inuit learners
audience. This is directly in keeping with the GN Report Card recommendation 1.4 which
l l L
programs to ensure cultural relevance and the incorporation of essential aspects of Inuit
societal values (GN Report Card Item 1.4, p. 1).

It was through the design, development, delivery and implementation of the online workshops
and the collaborative participatory approach taken in both workshop design and delivery that
the holistic design model (Figure 1) emerged.












35

Figure 1: Holistic Design Model C. Armstrong & E. Childs (2010)



Model Explained
As depicted in Figure 1, the design model is grounded in IQ and supported by a technical
infrastructure and policy directive. Grounding the Together at a Distance project in IQ was an
essential design assumption. Based on the survey and focus group feedback, it is clear that
participants found value in the ways and manner in which IQ was incorporated into the design
of the learning environment from the structure of the online workshops to the language and
vocabulary used. In keeping with the holistic design model that emerged over the course of
this project, IQ context and content and its relationship to the workshop content, instructional
design and on-screen presentation was critical in establishing relevance and encouraging
motivation.

A l l
l C 8 l
2010).
36


new information was meaningful, orientation was good,
L l C l S
2010).

A key component of the holistic design model is that the content must be interoperable in
order to integrate with the Sirlauq

, a scalable learning object repository built with

consideration of the technical realities of the North. The content also needs to be multimodal in
delivery to meet the audience and contextual needs. Beyond the fact that the Together at a
Distance workshops are interoperable it is important to note that the content itself, the CSS
style sheets, the multimedia and resources are all contained in one IMS content package. This
enables consistency of display and presentation across multiple case uses and platforms. It also
facilitates sharing the content with other jurisdictions as all elements of the workshops are
available for their editing and manipulation in the future. For example, another jurisdiction that
may use different terminology for some of the IQ components can easily edit and amend the
content of these workshops to be more reflective of their particular culture and linguist needs.
This allows the workshops to be interoperable on both a technical and cultural level as the
context deems necessary.

The holistic design model depicted in Figure 1 is dependent upon the creation of a community
of learners and a supportive learning environment. The three-pronged supportive learning
environment (social/emotional, technical and academic support) is achieved through the use of
a blended or hybrid model of delivery. The creation of a supportive learning environment as
part of realizing the critical pedagogy is a key component of the holistic design model. In the
Together at a Distance online workshops, this was created online as much as possible given the
confines of the project using multiple entry/exit points and creating flexible pathways for
learning. One of the design strategies to foster a supportive learning environment was to
provide participants the opportunity to create their individual learning path. As evidenced in
the survey responses, this was a valuable component of the online course.

l W C -learning is all about. I
found the e-learning plan to be particularly useful for helping me think about what
exactly I would like to learn, or to learn more about in the future. It also helped me to
l S 8

In addition, multiple pathways for learning and moving through the content were created as
way to foster a supportive learning environment online, provide a strategy to address the ESL
component of the audience and help the participant to learn how to learn effectively online.
This came from the Elders and their recognition that their youth need these skills in the future
to be successful and was informed by best practices in online design.

As discussed in the Research Methods section, there were not the resources available to
provide a facilitated discussion for each of the online workshops. However, because the online
workshops were piloted in a face-to-face setting, the workshop participants recognized the
37

value of the supportive learning environment and commented on the need to support this
aspect of the online workshops if they were to be delivered virtually as originally intended

In order for the community of learners and a supportive learning environment to be fostered
and maintained, adequate funding for a collaborative content development approach across a
continuum of learning (K-post-secondary) and teacher training and professional development is
required. These two elements are facilitated through the technology toolkit which includes a
learning object repository (Sirlauq

), a learning management system (Moodle

) and a
synchronous tool (Elluminate

). Together they result in the ability to provide differentiated

content, individualized learning paths and community-based support to meet unique learner
needs in a manner that is efficient in a bandwidth challenged North. Inherent in the design
model is the support for the development of the competencies in language and literacy. As
depicted by the figure at the centre of the model, the goal of the holistic design model is to
assist in the attainment of learner mastery.

Collaborative Content Development
An additional benefit of using the collaborative, iterative holistic design model in this project
was realized through the relationships that were built with the participants, collaborators,
Elders, northern Inuit adult educators etc. These worked to inform, improve and respond to the
end users needs for effective learning in this online environment. The feedback received by
participants, Elders, northern Inuit educators and content experts helped to provide the paths
needed to move the design and development forward for this context, and in doing so a
community of learners has evolved. The depth and connection of this community of learners is
much richer than what was reported in the data. It, if cultivated and encouraged, may provide
Cn 8 C M
District Education Authorities to allow them to develop curriculum and learning materials for
local use and as supplements to the main territorial curriculum, and to develop and deliver
Cn 8 C

For many participants, their experience in the Together at a Distance project has broken down
some of the preconceived notions about technical expertise required, Internet connectivity
issues and their own ability to engage in learning in this manner. For many users, this
experience has helped them to see the potential for online learning and what supports they
need as a learner in this context to be successful. Building personal capacity in the Inuit ways of
knowing and doing (IQ) is a key construct that was infused throughout the online workshops
and one that participants connected to and found immediately valuable as it enabled them to
make their own meaning of what they were learning specific to their context.

For example, in the Arctic Bay pilot Skype

was examined as a potential tool for online learning.

One participant considered the tool and its abilities and then described several ways he could
see using the tool to help him in his everyday life such as using it with his mechanic (several 100
to be replaced in his snowmobile.

38

l l
online classes to benefit my situation and to complete my B.Ed. a lot quicker that I
would have without this development. It will come in very useful in my years to come as
a future teacher... (Survey Respondent, 2009/10).

I completed the whole workshop. I had a bad experience with distance education so this
made me feel more comfortable and that I could be successful (Armstrong, T@D Focus
Group Rankin Inlet, 2010, p. 1)

The above examples and the community of co-creators that is in its infancy as a result of this
Cn 8 C A
development of made-in-Nunavut curriculum by increasing the financial and human resources
Cn 8 C P
essential to recognize that teachers in isolation cannot design content that will meet the
rigorous needs of the adult Inuit student without the design model and supports that have
been identified through this project.

This need for support and a collaborative community environment was evidenced in many of
face-to-face pilot workshops where the relationships developed in the room between the

individualized to meet learner needs. In fact in several pilot settings the online workshops
became a tool to use that when combined with other online tools and resources, several
available through the T@D portal or the Sirlauq

LOR allowed the workshop to better meet the

needs and expectations of the learners than if it had just stepped learners through the online
modules.

Next Steps for the Model
1 Cn 8 C Cn
District Education Authorities can easily communicate community concerns on educational
issues with each other, and speak collectively to the appropriate departmental
l Cn 8 u L A
that they can become fully conversant with their duties and responsibilities, develop a
comprehensive understanding of the Nunavut Education Act and its objectives, and learn about
8
Together at a Distance project, there is the potential to use what has been effective in this
project (specifically the design model; IQ and the supportive learning environment) and create
an online learning community to support both the local and department levels and more
importantly, teachers and administrators via online courses and facilitated discussion groups.

Focusing on the teacher educator community alone would enable the GN to address the
8 n
other jurisdictions to take a comprehensive orientation program developed and delivered by
u L 1
comment below is reflective of several participants in the face-to-face workshops and speaks to
39

the need to move forward on ways in which this connection can be facilitated. The design
model used to guide this project coupled with Sirlauq

, the learning object repository (LOR)

that the Government of Nunavut Department of Education is in the process of launching, has
the ability to meet this need.

I am interested at looking at other teachers work and resources. Not only that, but to
make connections from all across the north. These workshops are taking this concept (of
more online resources, connections etc.) and enhancing to a new level. Something so
N (Survey Respondent, 2009/10).
Key Finding 2: Learner Support
The data from the Together at a Distance project highlighting learner support is consistent with
the best practices in the field of e-learning (Bale et. al, 2005; McMullen & Rohrback, 2003;
Palloff & Pratt, 1999), which identifies learner support as critical to the success of e-learning
initiatives. In the context of the Together at a Distance project, learner support had three key
aspects: (1) social/emotional, (2) technical and, (3) academic. These three aspects were
supported in and by; (1) the community, (2) the design and structure of the online workshop,
and (3) the ownership the student was required to take for their own learning path.

In this context, community is defined as those person(s) who supported the learner to be
successful in the online workshops. This may have been the CAP instructor, the high school
teacher, the spouse that was encouraging, the auntie who took the children so that the learner
was able to devote time to their online workshop, the employers who were supportive, the
online facilitator, the technical support, the Elders etc. This community based support approach
was modeled in the content of the workshops and their delivery was based on best practices in
e-learning that identify that
Bale et. al, 2005. p.26).

The opportunities that e-learning provided with respect to differentiated instruction,
individualized learning, and multiple learning pathways facilitating learner choice meant that in
the T@D online workshops the content level did not need to be lowered. Instead, students
were supported to develop and build mastery through the learning process. The Elders saw
distributed learning as a mechanism that was able to provide real world application and the
necessary learner supports required for the acquisition of competency. At the same time, it was
also able to reinforce the values of IQ and the expression of lifelong learning.

They appreciated that the content was not dumbed down and that students are
encouraged and scaffolded toward understanding and competency. They also noted
that students must take ownership and responsibility for their learning path as well
(personal communication, Elder, Feb 2010).
40

Key Finding 3: Move from E-Learning to Distributed Learning
Through the experience of the Together at a Distance project, it became evident that there is a
real need to expand beyond the concept of e-learning in the North so that the term does not
limit the possibilities. The holistic design model proposed allows for a broadening of the
concept of e-learning to one of distributed learning (DL) in that it extends into a blended model
of learning and the integration of technology mediated learning supports into the regular
classroom, the online classroom and wherever the learner is located in order to support
learning that is independent of physical space and time. The inclusive nature of DL is captured
in the following definition:

Distributed Learning (DL) is not just a new term to replace the other 'DL,' distance
learning. Rather, it comes from the concept of distributed resources. Distributed learning
is an instructional model that allows instructor, students, and content to be located in
different, non-centralized locations so that instruction and learning occur independent of
time and place. The distributed learning model can be used in combination with
traditional classroom-based courses, with traditional distance learning courses, or it can
be used to create wholly virtual classrooms" (Saltzberg & Polyson, p. 10).

As illustrated above, DL enriches, expands and enhances the learning opportunities provided in
regular, online and mobile learning environment. Learners in a DL environment have greater
control over how, when and where they learn which increases their responsibility for their own
learning. Education providers are, in turn, able to create inclusive learning environments that
maximize learning opportunities (Bowman, 1999).

One area for inclusivity that is often not supported in the North is within the classroom, both in
a blended community based model and through hybrid integration. Moving from the concept of
e-learning to one of DL allows for the inclusion of many more learning environments than just
the traditional face-to-face school setting or the stand alone online experience. In reviewing the
Government of Nunavut Report Card recommendations, there appears to be the potential to
address several of them using a DL approach informed by the holistic design model.
Next Steps
Based on the data and experiences of participants in the Together at a Distance online
workshops and the holistic design model proposed, there are some real opportunities available
to the north with respect to distributed learning. There are numerous examples of DL
implementation projects that illustrate that one of the direct contributing factors of success of
DL is the funding and policy commitments made to support it (Latchem & Hanna, 2001). The
north has the potential to support the implementation of the holistic design model and
associated DL components in an integrated, thoughtful manner. Jurisdictions that have not had
this opportunity to thoughtfully consider the implementation of DL have experienced limited
success.

41

It is recognized that many of the GN report card recommendations mentioned above are
dependent upon the ability of the GN to provide sufficient bandwidth and infrastructure to
-class telecommunications system allowing for the development of
1 1 W
in coming to fruition, there are some real opportunities available to the north with respect to e-
learning given the motivation expressed by the participants in this project and especially in a
time of a 17% budget reduction across government departments. Based on the experience of
this project, the data, and the literature informing best practices in DL (Driscoll, 2002; Moore &
Kearsley, 2005; Oblinger & Hawkins, 2006), the next steps to be taken in order to support
further opportunities for DL in the north include the following:

1. Apply the holistic design model to guide policy, fund program development and ensure
implementation planning for DL in the north.
2. Move from e-learning to distributed learning (DL). Lever the experience of this project,
the policy, and the technical infrastructure into more opportunities to bridge the gap
from e-learning to distributed learning and foster the creation of multiple technology
mediated learning environments within both online and regular classrooms.
3. Lever the existing infrastructure which includes: (1) the LOR (Sirluaq), (2) the LMS
(Moodle), (3) the synchronous tool (Elluminate) and, (4) the increasing bandwidth
opportunities within the educational system to implement DL across the north.
4. Explore collaborative content development opportunities between the northern K-12
and post-secondary systems using common toolsets (Sirlaqu, Moodle, Elluminate).
5. Build on the momentum of the T@D project and encourage post-secondary and NTEP
programs to include the T@D workshops as part of their DL strategy. The ripple effect
to K-12 then has the potential to open additional collaborative content development
opportunities.
6. Ensure IQ and critical pedagogy continue to inform any future content development.
7. Create a mentored, supported, facilitated experience for the current online workshops
to proof the model
a. Have facilitated, synchronous opportunities for educators to engage with the
online workshops created in this project.
8. Create the opportunity for content creation and sharing.
a. Develop a new online workshop that focuses on the blended learning approach
within the regular classroom and discusses how to create and use technology
mediated learning environments effectively with learners. The workshop will
focus on the use of the LOR (Sirluaq) as a central access tool for content creation,
delivery and repurposing as well as the other components of the common
toolset described above.
b. Include all current T@D online workshops in the Sirluaq learning repository. W1
and W2 for Nunavut students and W3, 4 and 5 in the Professional Growth
section of the LOR. The Sirluaq will fully display the IMS content package version
of the workshops in a similar way to how Moodle displays the workshops.
42

9. Develop facilitated, supportive online learning communities that support the work of all
stakeholders and act as the connection between these group (learners, educators (k-
post-secondary, DEAs).

Based on the data and experiences of participants in the Together at a Distance project, the
mode of learning is one that the majority of participants found useful and there is a general
motivation and interest to participate in further online learning experiences. Using the holistic
design model guide policy, fund program development and ensure implementation planning for
DL in the north is the first step to building on the momentum generated by this project.

l -learning, this way in the future people can stay in their home
communities and take e- 5 k

l ollege in the future because I hate leaving my
mother in law who needs our support, this way e-learning will be useful for people like
5 k
2009/10).


43

References
Armstrong, C. (2010, Feb). Being an e-teacher Building Relationships. Retrieved Aug 21, 2010,

from Together at a Distance:

http://ndlp.ca/mod/resource/view.php?r=591&frameset=ims&page=2

Armstrong, C. (2010). T@D Focus Group Rankin Inlet. Iqaluit: Together at a Distance.

Bale, D. (2005). A comparative assessment of four online learning programs. Saskatchewan
Development and Research Unit, University of Regina. Prepared for the Keewatin Career
Development Corporation (KCDC). Retrieved from http://www.firstnationsnt.ca/UofR-
Research/KCDC-report.doc.
Bowman, M. (1999). What is Distributed Learning? News and Advice from the Technology
Collaborative @ CSUMB. Retrieved from
http://techcollab.csumb.edu/techsheet2.1/distributed.html
Burgess, N. (2009). Pilot Report Nunatsiavut Dec 09. Iqaluit: Together at a Distance.

Burgess, N. (2009). Taloyoak Pilot Report. Iqaluit: Together at a Distance.

Childs, E. A., & Burgess, N. (2009). Notes from Arctic Bay W1 W2 Experience. Iqaluit: Together at

a Distance.

Crichton, S. & Childs, E. A. (2008). Looking Forward: Stories of Practice. In BC Campus (Eds.),
Education for a Digital World (pp. 489 - 502) Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning.
Driscoll, M. (2002). Web based training. Creating eLearning experiences. 2
nd
Edition. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; Pfeiffer
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer
conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87-105
44

Greenall, D. & Loizides, S. (2001) Aboriginal digital opportunities. Addressing Aboriginal learning
needs through the use of learning technologies. (Cat: RN34-21/2002E). Ottawa: The
Conference Board of Canada.
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. (2008). Inuit statistical profile. Retrieved from
http://www.itk.ca/publications/inuit-statistical-profile
Latchem, C., & Hanna, D. (2001). Leadership for 21st century learning. London: Kogan Page.
MacDonald, T. (2010). T@D Facilitator Note Fort Simpson Pilot. Iqaluit: Together at a Distance.

McMullen, B. & Rohrback, A. (2003). Distance education in remote Aboriginal communities:
barriers, learning styles and best practices. Prince George: College of New Caledonia
Moore, M & Kearsley, G., (2005) Distance Education. A Systems View. Belmont, CA. Thompson
Wadsworth.
Murray, T., Jones, S., Willms, D., Shillington, R., McCracken, M., & Glickman, V. (2008). Reading

the future. Planning to meet Canada's future literacy needs. Ottawa: Canadian Council

on Learning. Retrieved from http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/ReadingFuture/

Oblinger, D. & Hawkins, B. (2006). The Myth about Online Course Development.
EDUCAUSEreview. p. 14-15.
Saltzberg, S., & Polyson, S. (1995, September). Distributed learning on the World Wide Web.
Syllabus, 9(1), 10.
Suluk, J. (2010). Workshop Foundation. Retrieved August 20, 2010 from How to teach an e-
course. http://ndlp.ca/mod/resource/view,php?inpopup=true&id=887
Seale, C., & Filmer, P. (1998). Doing Social Surveys. In C. Seale (Ed.), Researching Society and
Culture (pp. 125-145). London, UK: Sage.
45

Tapardjuik. L. (2009, December 3). Address to the House. Nunavut Hansard, Iqaluit, NU.
Together at a Distance. (2010, Feb). Inuit Intelligences. Retrieved Aug 20, 2010, from How to

Adapt an e-course:

http://ndlp.ca/file.php/31/moddata/resource/621/mod_1_course_scan/media/blooms/

decision.html

46

Appendix A: Facilitators Guide
Welcome to the Facilitator
Welcome to Together at a Distance, and thank you for being the community facilitator for
this pilot workshop.
In this guide, we take you through a step-by-step approach to run a successful pilot.
If you have any questions, or need any support, please dont hesitate to contact Neil
Burgess. I can be reached as follows:

Neil Burgess - Together at a Distance project lead
Ph: 902-845-2039
elearn@togetheratadistance.ca
Skype: togetheratadistance

Or
Malcolm Campbell - Manager for Information Systems Planning
Nunavut Department of Education
Ph: 867-975-5600
MCampbell2@GOV.NU.CA

Please follow the steps below to run your workshop. You should also have received project
posters that can be pinned up to help advertise and create excitement for your workshop.
Technical Setup
There are two options for workshop pilots:
Option 1: Received four laptops, QINIQ high speed modem and router from Together at a
Distance. Other computers you may have can continue to run on a separate network, or
have their Ethernet cords plug into the Together at a Distance router.
Option2: Use existing computers on a network to access workshops.

Workshop CD: If a number of participants are opening new pages and resources from the
Internet, access may be slow for all, especially if everyone begins viewing the streamed
introductory videos at the same time. If this happens, it may be best to have participants
view the videos and complete workshops two to six from the CD.

Media Players: Please go through the introductory videos and
test part of a workshop on each participant computer in
advance to ensure they have Internet access and updated
media players. There are five main media players that will be
required. They are free and can be downloaded from the
workshop page: http://ndlp.ca.
47

For example, the introductory videos require the QuickTime player.

Plugging it all in: The picture below shows a satellite signal being received by the
community satellite dish. On the QINIQ network, that signal is then re-transmitted within
the community and received by the wireless modem (black).
The router plugs into the modem and broadcasts a signal to any computer that is able to
pick up a wireless signal. All newer notebook computers are wireless, but some have a small
switch to turn the wireless on and off. If the wireless is not working, check that it is on.
The while Apple notebooks will likely have their wireless left
on, but if they do not, turn the wireless or AirPort on by
clicking on the wireless symbol on the upper right hand
corner of the screen.

Router password: The white wireless router will show up on wireless computers as
"ALLESPnet To get on, users must type the following password: 8679755600


48


Web Browser: All the course material can be found on the Internet for which you require
an Internet connection and a Web Browser. There are several Web browsers such as
FireFox, Safari and Explorer.

What to do if there is a problem? Call or e-mail Neil or Malcolm.
Introduction to participants
It is suggested you begin the session by summarizing the following to participants:
Together at a Distance is a three year, Pan-Arctic, adult literacy, e-learning
project funded by the Federal Government of Canada and the Nunavut
Department of Education.
The workshop you are attending right now is part of a pilot phase. From the
pilot phase, the project team hopes to learn what works and what does not,
which will help them improve the project. As part of their research, they ask
that participants complete an online survey at the end of workshops.
If you have a data projector, show participants the project portal as you summarize the text
below. If you do not have a data projector, invite participants to open the website (shown
below) on their screen as you summarize the text below. (A portal is a website with a
variety of resources).
http://togetheratadistance.ca
Continue reading or summarizing.
The Together at a Distance project has a portal that is being developed and
improved all the time. Right now there are six online workshops and links to
other resources. You can learn more about the project by reading the
newsletters.
The workshops are run from a piece of software called Moodle, which is
known as a Learning Management System or LMS. Lets visit the LMS now at
http://ndlp.ca or click on the link shown on the portal.
As you can see, the LMS has a number of resources or courses. Later, you
are welcome to click on the ones that do not have keys and try them out.
For example, there is a course called "Common Plants of Nunavut that you
may find interesting.
For now, lets look at the workshops. They
are:
Workshop One: What is e-learning
Workshop Two: How to take an e-course
Workshop Three: How to be an e-facilitator
Workshop Four: How to be an e-teacher
Workshop Five: How to adapt an e-course
Workshop Six: How to design an e-course
49


In this session we will complete workshops (based on what was agreed upon with
the project team).

You're doing a great job - now have participants view the videos on the site
http://ndlp.ca
In the picture here there are three, but we may have added more by the time you run your
session.
If your Internet access is slow with a number of participants watching at the same time,
there are two options. You can either project the videos if you have a data projector, or ask
that participants watch the each video form the CD they received. The CD version is also a
much higher quality.

Completing workshops
Once participants have finished watching the videos, invite them to begin investigating the
characters in Workshop One, "What is e-learning. This may take about 30 minutes.
Workshop Two, "How to take an e-course will likely take a full day or more.
End of workshop survey and facilitator interview
At the end of Workshop Two, there is a survey that will take participants about 20 minutes.
Please encourage all participants to complete the survey as their feedback is very important
in helping us improve the workshops. In fact, participants are some of the Arctics e-
learning pioneers!
As the facilitator, we are very interested in your experience and would like to also take
about 20 minutes of your time to complete a phone interview after you have completed the
workshops.
Please thank all participants and ask that they come back and visit the portal
many more times. There will be more workshops and all sorts of other learning
resources.
What do with the equipment we shipped you
Yes, it would be nice to keep all that equipment, but we must insist you ship it back to us at
the Department of Education. Shipping instructions will be provided to you separately.


50

Appendix B: W2 Survey Questions
http://ndlp.ca/mod/questionnaire/view.php?id=602
Appendix C: W4 Survey Questions
http://ndlp.ca/mod/questionnaire/view.php?id=853

Appendix D: Focus Group Protocol
Project: Together at a Distance: ALLESP Research Project
Focus Group Protocol End Users: Inuit Adult Learners

Facilitator:
Date: dd/mm/09
Time: :00 am pm
Location:
Welcome & Introduction to the Focus Group (10 min)
Facilitator: please welcome folks to the group and thank them for their participation in this
research project. Offer coffee/tea/snacks as available and then gather group together for the
introduction below.
Purpose:
The purpose of this research is to investigate change in access and awareness of literacy
opportunities for the Inuit population of the NWT, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut as a
result of their participation in the ALLESP online workshops on e-learning.

This focus group has been designed to seek input from you as a representative of the end user
target audience (i.e. Inuit adult learners) who has completed the ALLESP W1 (What is E-
Learning) and W2 (How to Take an E-Learning Course). Through the focus group discussion we
hope to learn more about your thoughts on the following areas:
x Your level of comfort with E-Learning
x Your E-Learning and Literacy skill improvement
x Your awareness of relevant E-Learning opportunities and supports
x Your motivation to pursue future E-Learning
x it may be worth asking some questions in thefocus groups related to the content and
design of specific workshops value, relevance, what else should be included?
Process:
This is a focus group so your main role is to discuss topics or answer questions that will be
proposed to the group. This is a discussion, not an interview. When a topic for discussion is
announced or a question is posed, your role is to respond. If you hear a comment made that
51

1
thoughts. There is no right or wrong answer; I simply want to hear what you think so please feel
comfortable to share your impressions and thoughts as the discussion unfolds.

This session will be recorded via video so that I can capture not only your verbal thoughts but
also the context in which they are shared as well as the body language in the room. This video
and the notes that the focus group facilitator makes will not be shared with anyone but will be
used by the main researcher as she analyzes the data and looks for common threads and
themes across the various focus groups. This session is confidential which means your names
will never be revealed.

My role is to act as a facilitator. That means I will pose the topics or questions then step back
l l
because I will do it on the flip charts or the board. As a facilitator, my job is also to ensure that
whatever someone says is clear and understood by the rest of the group and to encourage
everyone to participate so that what is recorded is not the opinion of just a few people. I
anticipate that we will take about 2 hours to complete the session. Are there any questions
about the process? Note to facilitator: Notes to you are in this bold italic font.
Body (1hour; 15 min)
Level of Comfort with E-Learning (45 min)
Q1. What ALLESP online workshops did you complete (W1, W2 or both)?
Q2. Where you aware of the goals of the workshop(s)?
Q3. What were the goals as you understood them?
Q4. In your opinion did the workshop(s) achieve their goals? How?
Did you achieve your goals which goals were / were not achieved? Why / why not?
Q5. Where there any other unintended goals or outcomes that you felt the workshop(s)
achieved?
Q6. Please describe your comfort level with E-Learning prior to taking the workshop(s)?
Q7. Please describe your comfort level with E-Learning upon completing the workshop(s)?
E-Learning and Literacy Skill Improvement
C u L-Learning either during or after your participation in
the workshop(s)? If so, please describe.
Q9. Do you feel your skills with E-Learning improved after participating in the workshop(s)? If
l
Q10. What types of adaptations, if any, did you find you needed to do in order to be able to
participate in the online workshop(s) given they were written in English.
Q11. What types of computer skills did you find you needed in order to be able to participate in
the online workshop(s)?
Q12. Did you feel you had the necessary technology skills/literacy to effectively participate in
the online workshop(s) or did your participation in the online workshop(s) help you develop
these skills.
52

C W
Q 14: Do you consider yourself digitally literate? Why/why not?
Q15: How did your participation in the workshop(s) assist in the development of your digital
literacy?
Q 16: Is there a difference in being digitally literate in Inuktitut language versus English? If so
please describe the difference? If not, explain why not.
Awareness of Relevant E-Learning Opportunities and Supports
Q 17: Describe the various E-Learning opportunities that you were aware of prior to
participating in the workshop(s)
Q18: How did you know about these E-Learning opportunities?
Q19: Describe the various supports for E-Learning that you were aware of prior to participating
in the workshop(s)
Q20. How did you know about these E-Learning supports?
Q21: Describe how your awareness of E-learning opportunities changed (if it did) because of
your participation in the workshop(s)?
Q22: Describe how your awareness of the various E-Learning supports changed (if it did)
because of your participation in the workshop?
Motivation to Pursue Future E-Learning
Q23: Describe the types (work related; hobby; interest; personal growth) of E-Learning you
have participated in prior to the ALLESP workshop(s).
Q24: What was your motivation to participate in those E-Learning activities?
Q25: How has your participation in the ALLESP workshop(s) affected your motivation to pursue
further E-Learning opportunities?
Q26: Describe any specific characteristics that you would be looking for in future E-Learning
opportunities?
Summary (10 min)
Q27. Do you have any questions or comments about the Together at a Distance Project or
anyth
Wrap Up Notes for Facilitator:
1. Summarize the key points collected from the participants.
2. Take time to provide a big picture summary of the themes discussed and the value of

3. Relate the data collected in this focus group to the overall study.
4. We will review the information you have supplied today and compare it to information
supplied by other focus groups being conducted as part of this research project. The
suggestions and feedback provided will be analyzed to identify common themes of Inuit
Adult Learners and their experiences with E-Learning and Literacy.
5. Inform the participants of your next steps (further interviews, prepare reports):
6. After the data is analyzed, the common themes will be summarized and
recommendations made to inform a potential Phase 2 of the ALLESP project. The
53

research results will be communicated to individual participants, communities, regional
and Nunavut organizations via e-newsletters and the creation of an online portal with
open access to all Inuit adult learners. A short summary research document will also be
distributed to communities following the completion of the research project.