NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area, North Slave Region, Qikiqtaaluk Region

Tags: social sciences, literacy

Objective(s): To contribute to a strong foundation for sustainable, appropriate digital literacy training in the NWT, at a time of rapid development of digital infrastructure.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5179. Along with research outcomes regarding digital technology adoption and use, this project continues to contribute to a strong foundation for sustainable, appropriate digital literacy training in the NWT, at a time of rapid development of digital infrastructure (through the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link and other major investments). The project involves two primary activities: 1) identifying and training a cohort of community-based digital literacy instructors; and 2) co-developing a suite of digital literacy resources customized to the unique needs of these regions, and taught by instructors trained through this project. A project Advisory Board and Steering Committee directs and informs activities, including research data collection. This project builds on Gwich'in Digital Literacy workshops developed and implemented in 2016-2018 as well as the DigitalNWT project (2019-2022). Through a “communities of practice” approach, the research team’s cohort-based approach encourages knowledge-sharing and professional development both inside and across the NWT. Working with Aurora College’s community adult educators, in the past two years the research team have been unable to host in-person training due to COVID and University travel restrictions, and have instead relied on Zoom sessions (2020) and pre-recorded training videos (2021). After each year’s training, the 25-30 participating instructors will teach in their home communities. Along with basic digital literacy skills drawn from existing resources by groups like Media Smarts, these materials highlight local economic and community development opportunities made available through digital technologies. Topic areas tied to digital literacy include self-government, culture/language revitalization, local/regional employment opportunities, and digital innovations taking place in the NWT. The research team also address negative impacts (inappropriate content, cyber-bullying, etc.). The goal is to use appropriate and relevant material to teach digital literacy. This customization is necessary, since digital technology adoption is not a “one size fits all” proposition. Materials aim to encourage and inspire digital innovators in the communities to launch their own projects, while mitigating the negative impacts digital technologies hold for community members. Through this project we are conducting research on digital technology development, adoption and use through the NWT. This Aurora Research Institution (ARI) license applies to research activities associated with the project. This current application utilizes the methodology developed for the GTC Digital Literacy projects in 2017 and 2018, and expanded upon in the DigitalNWT project in 2019-2022. At present the research team do not anticipate further changes to our existing data collection activities: 1) Interviews with key informants 2) Household surveys conducted by local researchers using in-person, telephone or online methods (www.DigitalNWT.ca/surveys) 3) SMS surveys 4) CIRA Internet Performance Test data (https://www.digitalnwt.ca/cira-speed-test) 5) Participant observation during site visits (pending COVID-19 social distancing) 6) Pre- and post-workshop surveys with digital literacy course participants. This project's research activities, which are led by the University of Alberta, focus on digital technology adoption, development and use in the context of the NWT communities. Data collected through the procedures described in this application will also inform research outcomes (presentations, papers, etc). Specific research activities have been reviewed and approved by the ethics offices of the University of Alberta and Aurora College. Research activities are closely integrated with the digital literacy activities (following our orientation as a participatory action research project). Public outreach is a core component of this initiative, which heavily involves various NWT-based organizations and communities. The Project Description and Rationale sections provide details about engagement with individuals and communities in the NWT, including through digital literacy workshops and curriculum. The research team also provide information about the work on the project website (www.DigitalNWT.ca), social media pages (e.g. www.Facebook.com/digitalNWT), and via news media and radio (such as through the Digital Traplines show on CKLB). Finally, the research team informs community leadership of research and results via letters and reports. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from March 14, 2022 to December 31, 2022