With the help of Elder Eileen Beaver, a program called Connected North – which brings live and interactive virtual field trips to students – has seen explosive growth in the South Slave region.
Connected North is run by TakingITGlobal, a charity that focuses on youth engagement.
The Connected North arm of the charity serves more than 200 schools across northern and remote Indigenous communities in Canada by connecting students virtually with experts across a wide range of workshops aligned with school curriculums.
The program was picked up by South Slave Divisional Education Council (SSDEC) schools a few years ago, which is when the charity first worked with Beaver.
Beaver was formerly a Dene Dedlıne Yatı language instructor in Fort Smith. A few years later, in retirement, she has become the Elder-in-residence for Connected North after creating an online session for students on storytelling and the Medicine Wheel.
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“She is very well respected in the region. She captivated a lot of interest as well from a lot of language teachers and culture teachers,” said Jennifer Corriero, the executive director of TakingITGlobal.
Beaver’s role as Elder-in-residence is to help review and provide feedback to new Connected North content providers before they deliver virtual sessions on topics like how to play the guitar, making a Métis sash, touring a museum virtually, or showing how batteries work.
Eileen still offers her virtual session to classrooms – some days, she says, she starts off in Nunavut and is in northern Ontario an hour or two later – but she now does more behind the scenes.
“She has a very vital role in the growth of the program and guides the content and gives feedback and encouragement,” said Corriero, noting Beaver also has a background in grief counselling. “If there’s ever an issue, she’s available.”
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When a session is approved, Beaver said, Connected North content providers work with school leads to schedule classroom sessions and make sure schools have the right materials.
For example, if a class plans to learn soapstone carving virtually, Connected North would ship carving materials to the teacher.
Beaver has also travelled with Connected North to visit schools and teachers, introducing them to the program and ensuring they are comfortable with how to help students on the ground while sessions are taking place.
‘Just-about anything you could think of’
With more than 250 Indigenous content providers on the roster, Beaver said, students have the opportunity to learn things like painting, beading, quilling and different types of dancing.
Classes also have the opportunity to take a virtual trip to the Toronto Zoo, check out the Royal Botanical Gardens and various museums across the country, and chat with mathematicians and authors.
“Just-about anything you could think of is available,” Beaver said.
“I really like the program because it allows students to see what is out there, and it also helps support the teachers that are in the class teaching a unit or a lesson.
“It’s not invasive, because you’re not doing the work for the teachers. You’re just adding support through whatever they need to help with their unit plans or lesson plans.”
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Connected North says it delivered 6,000 live sessions across the country last year. According to the charity, 96 percent of teachers said the programming improved attendance and motivation for learning.
Award winners
For their work in the South Slave, Beaver, Corriero, and the rest of their team were awarded the SSDEC’s Partners in Education Award in 2024.
SSDEC superintendent Souhail Soujah told Cabin Radio the program had helped to provide “relevant and authentic learning experiences to our remote communities.”
“By linking our students with experts, mentors and peers across Canada, the program fosters collaboration, curiosity and a sense of belonging, no matter where they live,” Soujah wrote.
Corriero said Connected North held a feast after receiving the award to celebrate Beaver, bring more people out to learn about the program, and encourage more role models and content providers to come forward.
“Part of the beauty of the program and why the award is so significant is because it helps us to build momentum, and for students to see themselves represented in their learning,” she said.
”I am very proud of being a part of Connected North,” said Beaver, “because it’s opening opportunities for students and for young people to have a dream and see that it can be possible to achieve – you’ve just got to put your mind and efforts to it.”
