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R. Adeboye, C. Flewelling,V. Ogbole, E. O'Sullivan 29 The conceptualization of quality used in this evaluation involves not only the strength and of the material itself, however, but also the presenter's skill in communicating it in ways that are engaging, relatable for students and supportive of their confidence and well-being. Previous sections have already touched on many of these elements, including through reference to cultural competence, customization, and the need for positive learning environments. Delving more deeply into the last point, in the 2016 report Educating the Whole Child: Improving School Climate to Support Student Success, Darling-Hammond and Cook-Harvey conclude that "a whole child approach to education, which begins with a positive school climate that affirms and supports all students, is essential to support academic achievement as well as healthy development" (2016, p. xi). Similarly, a 2021 report produced by the Council of Ministers of Education Canada cites research connecting positive school environments to better attendance, performance, graduation rates, as well as their engagement in and enjoyment of school, while at the same time noting that the correlations in the primary research of the report were modest (Laurie and Brochu 2021). Berkowitz et al. (2017) affirmed the importance of school climate, noting its potential to mediate the negative relationship between socioeconomic status and school achievement; and Cooper's 2012 analysis found that negative school climate played a role in Indigenous youth disengagement. Positive relationships between school climate and student outcomes were found in a study conducted based on the First Nations Regional Early Childhood, Education and Employment Survey, though the authors note that results in this exploratory study were inconsistent (First Nations Information Governance Centre, 2020) 12 . Ultimately, relevant literature underscores that a supportive, positive learning environment is a meaningful if complex contributor to student engagement and success. Many of the characteristics discussed here in terms of high quality have the explicit or implicit goal of promoting student engagement. The importance of student engagement is well- established in the literature. Although how best to define and achieve it remains an area of active exploration (see, e.g., Archambault et al., 2019). Taylor and Parsons (2011) provide specific advice in Improving Student Engagement. In addition to interactivity and relevance (already discussed above), the authors highlight the value of multimedia, and exploratory, student- directed learning 13 . Other literature provides specific advice on how to capture and retain student attention. For example, Harackiewicz et al. (2016) note that "one way to trigger interest is to structure learning activities in ways that catch students' attention," citing foundational work on novelty, complexity, surprise, and incongruity as mechanisms for increasing attention and interest. Although a detailed examination of specific engagement techniques used by Connected North Content Providers is beyond the scope of this evaluation, it is clear that cultivating student interest is a central principle of Connected North's approach to session design. In basic terms, the literature supports the idea that a first and key step to successful learning is making education engaging and even fun. As reported by the First Nations Information Governance Centre (2016), the most commonly stated reason for dropping out of school among First Nations youth was that they were bored or uninterested. Much of the previous literature cited, however, also highlights how successfully leading enriching educational experiences so that they meet these high expectation is a skill, For example, Harris et al. (2020) describes the importance of instructor competence in guiding 12 For example, a positive school climate was positively associated with self-reported grades but not attendance. 13 Student-directed learning can also be considered as a part of the customization process elaborated above.