TakingITGlobal

Other honourable mentions must be made to Willow Fiddler's photography sessions. Willow is a remarkable Indigenous role model to any aspiring photographer and photojournalist. Willow has helped my Media Arts class immensely in jump-starting their acquisition of the photography basics and on how to operate DSLR cameras autonomously (on the technically advanced "Manual Mode" at that!). The "Inuit Wall Hanging," sewing lesson on the blanket provided a fun, interactive, and therapeutic session for my students as, to my delightful surprise, they became absolutely entranced in the stitching of cut-out Inukshuks and hearts onto felt. Lastly, "Water Colouring" by Beam Paints was a similarly nourishing session in which students were mesmerized by a special mineral-based (and ethically made) "gold" watercolour paint, a signature of Beam Paints. On that note, it cannot be understated how helpful it is when a Connected North session includes a class kit of materials that each student can create with and even keep for future class use. Student Engagement Students are most engaged in Connected North sessions when they see their language, culture, or identity reflected within the session, and when the session has a hands-on or otherwise interactive aspect to it. An expert of Inuit language or culture, of which there are fortunately many available at Connected North like Michael Kusugak, has never failed to grasp the interest of students because they almost always form a deeper and personal attachment to the topic or person as something or someone that is relevant, familiar, and reflective of their lives. Reflecting the students' identities as Inuit in Connected North sessions already wins half the battle in terms of student attention and engagement. Another big way of helping maintain student engagement in sessions is when session hosts simply check in with students every two to five minutes and ask them questions to check if they are understanding and following along. Little "pop-quiz" style comprehension questions work wonders in stretching student focus. If I notice students' attention start to wane, I will chime in as courteously as I can to the session provider, especially if they are in mid-speech, to reel students back in with a quick understanding check, a paraphrasing of the new information, or a general survey. Even better for instilling engagement is when the session is hands-on, such as a tutorial on water painting, sewing, or operating a coding program, and students are kept busy by a stimulating or challenging task. C o n n e c t e d N o r t h i n O u r C l a s s r o o m Eric Zheng - Connected North in Our Classroom 88

• Cover