TakingITGlobal

C O N N E C T E D N O R T H : A J O U R N E Y O F T R A N S F O R M AT I O N & W E L L- B E I N G 14 4. Program Design and Delivery The Connected North program represents what futurist John Naisbitt calls "high tech, high touch" (Naisbitt, 1982). It brings the latest communications technology to the classroom in a manner that increases the engagement with the content and amplifies human qualities of learning through that engagement rather than creating a sense of distance. It's about fostering human connection rather than emphasizing the means that support this connection. Technology The two-way video technology provides a high-definition link to educational partners. Delivering a session requires a computer with a high-speed Internet connection of 1 Mbps or greater and the free Cisco WebEx soware. The backbone of the service is run on Cisco's high-speed connectivity network and platform. During the growth phase of the program in 2018-19, TakingITGlobal offices were set-up in various hub locations including Saskatoon, Ottawa, Yellowknife and Vancouver with TelePresence systems in order to expand access for content providers outside of the Toronto area. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, additional supports such as TelePresence hardware and bandwidth subsidies were provided to support selected active content providers to deliver from home. Program Support Delivery of the program is made possible by a trained, skilled staffing complement from TakingITGlobal and its partners based throughout the country. In Fall 2019, the program was coordinated by 17 leads who support more than 55 schools and the network of content providers. By Fall 2020, the program grew to serve more than 100 schools. This support team represents many of the different facets of the program, including young people from Northern and other First Nations communities, educators, visual communicators, and experts in technical support. Teachers & Educators The program is delivered in partnership with teachers across over 100 schools in remote Indigenous communities. Each school receives a Session Menu for every teacher, and an orientation meeting at the start of the school year providing opportunities for interested educators to begin requesting sessions aligned with the needs of their students. In many cases, a lead teacher emerges or is nominated by school leadership to coordinate initial bookings and offer peer support. TIG regularly engages teachers and educators in discussion about program planning and curriculum fit as well as quality control checks.

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