Audiences, Content, and Strategies for Distance Programming in Remote Alberta Communities

1. Audiences, Content, and Strategies for Distance Programming in Remote Alberta Communities A Vision and an Initial Assessment Pat Fahy & Nancy Steel Athabasca University ADETA Conference, Edmonton 18 October 2007 Mayfield Inn

2. Origin of the Learning Communities Project • Athabasca University model: distance education university offering supported online learning (with some “paced” elements). • Other models rejected; DE ideal for remote and rural communities, especially for camp residents. • Project funded by a donation from Canadian Natural. • Develop people, wants competitive advantage. • Do well while doing good.

3. Project chronology • April 2006 – initial planning meetings • November 2007 – Budget vetted, tentatively approved • April 2007 - RF and PM hired • September 2007 – first “launch” • January 2008 – first report due • 2010 – project ends

4. Project principles • Focus on 4 targeted audiences: camp workers, northern and rural residents, aboriginals • Develop partnerships to provide access to range of target groups, based on ongoing assessment of needs, interests, and preferences a. Partners must share “distance” philosophy • Communities contribute access, time, expertise, and material support

5. Project objectives • To transform the workplace and communities. • To address personal goals with respect to career advancement and achievement. • To work out new ways of creating learning communities in rural and remote areas. • (For corporate sponsors): To address problems attracting and retaining skilled workforce.

6. Project Activities • Investigate and address learning needs of employees. • Investigate and address the learning needs and preferences of selected rural and remote communities. • Conduct on-going project evaluation, continuing needs analysis. • Conduct a literature review. • Report regularly on project outcomes. • Contribute to peer reviewed journals. • Pilot test mobile learning.

7. The labour market backdrop to the LCP • Urgent need for highly skilled workforce: • Current shortage of skilled workers, especially in the northern Alberta oil sands operations • Need to develop untapped labour pools – Aboriginals, immigrants • Need for young, highly skilled workers to replace retiring workers - mentorship • Labour force skill levels impact workplace productivity and Canada’s ability to compete in global market

8. Social backdrop to the LCP • Urgent need for highly skilled citizens: • Individuals’ skill levels affect their income levels, employment prospects, and ability to use technologies. • Individuals’ skill levels affect their ability to participate in formal and informal learning, adapt to change, and participate in their communities • In short, individuals’ skill levels affect their personal well being and the well being of society The aim of the LCP is to develop people in communities and the workplace. • Learning a Living: First results of the adult literacy and life skills surveyhttp://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-603-XIE/2005001/pdf/89-603-XWE-part1.pdf

9. Distance education for LCP • Availability of Supernet at CAP sites in remote and rural communities • Internet connectivity at Canadian Natural, Horizon site • “Bloom where planted”

10. Current project progress • Literature review • Statistics Canada • Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development • Canadian Council on Learning • Chronology of events, inquiry tracking • Four “occasional reports” circulated

11. Recent activities • Project launches at 3 work camps at Canadian Natural, Horizon site • 5 work camps housing approximately 500 – 2000 residents, each • Approximately 10,000 workers on site, mostly construction contractor workers and other trades people • Union & non-union workers, primary union is the Christian Labour Association of Canada http://www.cnrl.com/horizon/

12. Recent activities • Study of current adult education learning opportunities in selected remote and rural communities • Baseline information (intended first paper) • M-learning planning

13. Key findings to date • Potential students’ needs and interests vary greatly, and are influenced by their occupation. • In camps, distance delivery is viewed positively. • However, computer access among workers at the Horizon site is uneven. • So far, expressed learning interests are uniformly related to career enhancement or advancement.

14. Current challenges and issues • Tracking LCP registrations at AU and other education institutions • Educating some potential students about distance education • Need to create a customized “course catalogue” for the project • Determining the role, viability of m-learning for the target audiences

15. Pat Fahy (patf@athabascau.ca) • 866-514-6234 • Nancy Steel (nancys@athabascau.ca) • 866-569-8051

16. Learning a Living: First results of the adult literacy and life skills survey http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-603-XIE/2005001/pdf/89-603-XWE-part1.pdf • The Well Being of Nations, OECD http://www.unece.org/stats/documents/wgssd/zip.5.add.2.e.pdf