Remote is the new Correspondence! Let’s get connected

1. Remote is the new Correspondence! Let’s get connected RemoteisthenewCorrespondence! Let’s getconnected Remote learning is not a new idea or way to learn. It has been a part of the curriculum for centuries, possibly as far back as the 1700’s. It was named “Correspondence”andalthoughaslowandtediousprocess,itcaughtonand grewleapsandbounds,sweepingacross thecountriesoftheworld.

2. Oneofthemostprominentinitstimewasthe“SocietytoEncourageHomeOneofthemostprominentinitstimewasthe“SocietytoEncourageHome Studies” in 1873. In 1888 adult, immigrant men entered correspondence learningtobecomestatemineinspectorsandforemenofaPennsylvania coal-miningboom toalleviate ashortage ofworkers. Correspondenceinthestatesalonegrewintwentyyearstoanenrollmentof 2500newstudentsin1893andmatriculated72,000newstudentsby1895. Thegrowthwasduetosendingoutcompletetextbooksinsteadofsingle lessons, and the use of 1200 aggressive in-person salesmen. By 1906 total enrollments at the expanded International Correspondence School had reached 900,000. Correspondence or Remote learning continues to grow today,fromGradeschoolsubjectstoUniversitydegrees,allaccessedonline. I,myself,tookGrade9Algebraviasnailmailcorrespondence in1974. Hmmm….Whata differenceaZoomclasswouldhavemadeinmyAlgebra mark! Doyourememberthe“DrawMe”adsofTipsytheTurtleandWinkytheDeer along with many other interesting characters in every newspaper and magazine in the 80’s? Audrey Watters initiated this course to help budding artists see their potential, then offered an online art course after they sent in their version of these drawings. Ms. Watter found 3 characteristic qualities of distanceeducation thatremain reasonabletoday:

3. First,thatdistanceeducationisjustasgood,validandhigh-qualityasin person. • Second,yourearningpotentialwillincreaseifyouparticipateinthis courseof study. • Third,thatdistanceeducationisscalabletogiveaccesstostudents everywhere. • In 2021 we can also add – frees up time allowing students to juggle work and class time when necessary, keeps cost and fees lower, less travel expense, ability to work at their own pace and remain in the comfortof their home • Thesearetrueofurbanareas, however,stillnotthecaseinourruraland remoteparts of Canadaor the worldfor that matter. • Statistics Canada reports “40 percent of Canada’s workers found themselves workingfromhomeaspandemiclockdownswereenforced.Thatcomparesto less than 10 percent in 2018 who had the option to work a day or two a week fromhome.” • Whether e-Commerce itself would have moved us forward or Covid-19 has beenthesolepush,traditionalclassroomlearningandjobsarerapidlymoving from office settings to on-line capability. Economic booms and busts are long overdue to be a shared endeavor, for every Canadian, no matter their race or title.Thefutureofconnectivitythroughtechnicallysolidoperationsislooking

4. brighterwithanupswinginreadilyavailableteachingtoolsandlearningbrighterwithanupswinginreadilyavailableteachingtoolsandlearning opportunities.Manynewoptionsareonthehorizon,inlargepartdueto LEO’s scheduled installation and orbit by 2024 (as described in the previous “LEO is out of this World” blog). Many, many Indigenous lives will be changed in a positive,economicinclusive waywiththese newopportunities. Let’srepeatalinewesharedatthebeginningofthisblogregardinglearning inthe 1800’s, toshowit’srelevancetodaywhenthinkingofonlinelearning andIndigenousinclusiveeconomy…“althoughaslowandtediousprocess,it caught on and grew leaps and bounds, sweeping across the countries of the world”. With a holistic approach, Indigenous communities, regardless of their locationinCanada areabout toleap forwardinto thefuture. It’s Time For Changeis listening, watching closely, and being ready to liaise betweenIndigenousandnon-Indigenousentities.Education, it’sdelivery,well sourcedhonestinformation,andhonorableinclusivenegotiationiskey. Let’sallgetconnected!