The
Fort Vermilion School Division has embarked on a collaborative initiative
designed to deliver on the promise of the Alberta SuperNet.
The
Learning Suites Project offers the possibility of synchronous multipoint
video instruction for Kindergarten to grade 12 education programs
during the school day and both synchronous and asynchronous delivery
of post secondary education programs after school hours and on weekends.
This
new technology has helped us level the learning field by improving
student access to quality programs and instruction, while addressing
the challenges associated with providing programming in a sparsely
populated northern rural environment.
Our
goal is now to become a pocket of excellence in education delivery
for the province of Alberta, by creatively addressing the needs
of our diverse populations, which include First Nations and Mennonites.
Building stronger and healthier communities “right at home” is becoming
a reality, which serves both our youth and our adult population.
We are “no longer compelled to accept geography as an excuse for
mediocrity”, at least when it comes to student achievement. Technology,
while certainly not the solution to every challenge in education,
now offers a good solution to the mission of “providing the best
possible education to all students” regardless of their geographic
location. The choice we have made between traditional and leading
edge solutions, has been based entirely upon our commitment to helping
build healthier and stronger communities.
