TakingITGlobal

1 Connected North – Evaluation Report R. Adeboye, C. Flewelling,V. Ogbole, E. O'Sullivan Public Policy and Program Evaluation Carleton University January, 2026

• Cover
• Executive Summary
• Introduction and Purpose of the Evaluation
• Program Description
• Background and Evolution of Connected North
• Services Offered
• Organizational Leadership, Structure, and Partnerships
• Program Performance to Date
• Evaluation Methodology
• Evaluation Approach
• The Program Theory
• Evaluation Questions and Associated Lines of Evidence
• Coding, Analysis, and Interpretation
• Findings
• Evaluation Question 1: Is the program targeting the right outcomes?
• Evaluation Question 2: Is the program well designed?
• Program Implementation Assumption #1: Sessions Provide Otherwise Unavailable Educational Opportunities
• Program Theory Assumption 1: Virtual Experiences Convey Comparable Benefits to In-Person Benefits
• Program Implementation Assumption #2: Sessions are Culturally Relevant
• Program Implementation Assumption #3: Sessions are Interactive
• Program Implementation Assumption #4: Sessions are Aligned with School Curriculum and Customizable
• Program Implementation Assumption #5: Sessions are High Quality
• Program Implementation Assumption #7: Teachers Provide Strong Support for Program Implementation
• Program Implementation Assumption #8: Participants Have Access to Appropriate Teleconferencing Technology as well as Reliable Internet Connectivity
• Evaluation Question 3: Is the outcomes chain reasonable?
• The Students' Outcomes Chain
• The Teachers' Outcomes Chain
• Evaluation Question 4: Is the program being implemented as intended?
• Implementation Assumption #1: Sessions Provide Otherwise Unavailable Educational Opportunities
• Connected North Staff and Content Providers
• Teachers
• Implementation Assumption #2: Sessions are Culturally Relevant
• Content Providers
• Teachers
• Implementation Assumption #3: Sessions are Interactive
• Connected North Staff
• Content Providers
• Teachers
• Implementation Assumption #4: Sessions are Aligned with School Curriculum and Customizable
• Connected North Staff
• Content Providers
• Teachers
• Implementation Assumption #5: Sessions are High Quality
• Connected North Staff
• Teachers
• Students
• Implementation Assumption #6: Connected North staff provide strong support
• Connected North Staff
• Content Providers
• Teachers
• Implementation Assumption #7: Teachers provide strong support for program implementation
• Connected North Staff and Content Providers
• Teachers
• Implementation Assumption #8: Participants have access to appropriate teleconferencing technology and reliable internet connectivity
• Connected North Staff
• Content Providers
• Teachers
• Evaluation Question 5: Does the program appear to be contributing to its intended short- and medium-term outcomes?
• Short-Term Outcome #1: Increased Student Understanding of Areas Covered By Sessions
• Short-Term Outcome #2: Increased Student Interest in Areas Covered By Sessions
• Short-Term Outcome #3: Increased Student Motivation
• Short-Term Outcome #4: Increased Student Confidence and Positive Sense of Cultural Identity
• Short-Term Outcome #5: Improved Teacher Confidence and Feeling of Being Supported
• Short-Term Outcome #6: Improved Cultural Competencies Among Teachers
• Medium-Term Outcome #1: Increased Student Attendance
• Medium-Term Outcome #2: Improved Student Performance
• Medium-Term Outcome #3: Increased Student Retention
• Medium-Term Outcome #4: Improved Teacher Performance
• Medium-Term Outcome #5: Increased Teacher Retention
• Long-Term Outcome: Higher Graduation Rates
• Program Theory Assumption #2 and #4: The Program is Effective for All Age Groups and Targeted Students; and Subject Areas
• Discussion
• Triangulation
• Limitations
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References