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SmartLabrador - Showcased Senator Joyce
Fairbairn, Education Minister Judy Foote and Yvonne Jones, MHA met with the
Labrador Literacy Information and Action Network (LLIAN) and literacy groups
around Labrador via video and audio conference on September 6th at the Forteau
Telecentre. The session was facilitated by SmartLabrador, using the
SmartLabrador Network. Five communities were connected via audio and three
communities were connected via videoconferencing. Each community-based literacy
group had an opportunity to highlight their projects and express their concerns
about literacy development. Highlighted projects included: the Circle of Friends, Bridging the Gap, Molders of Dreams, Roots of Empathy, workplace learning initiatives, family literacy initiatives, community history publications and mother- tongue language initiatives. Funding and motivating individuals to become involved in literacy initiatives were two concerns raised during the session. Senator Fairbairn stated that she was there to discuss how she and her department could assist at the community level. She recognized and commended the work that was being done in Labrador and stressed the importance of learning, from the cradle to the grave. Minister Foote discussed new provincial initiatives including 'Read and Succeed' and future plans for the Literacy Endowment Fund. Yvonne Jones, MHA recognized the innovative way that Labrador communities have preserved their culture and stated that it was critically important for communities to write their own history as a way to motivate people. The information session was an example of how the SmartLabrador technology can be used for meeting purposes. The session also provided an opportunity to discuss how the technology can be used for educational purposes. The SmartLabrador Initiative includes both distance education and community-based computer literacy as 'smart service' components of the project. SmartLabrador is undertaking ongoing planning with educational institutions to develop distance education opportunities using the SmartLabrador Network. A computer literacy project, ICE Technologies, is being developed for implementation at all SmartLabrador sites. The network will provide 24-hour broadband Internet access and videoconferencing capabilities at 40 individual sites around Labrador. For further information, please contact Cindy Robbins, Manager of Communications and Field Operations at 931-2072. |
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