Digital Literacy in
BC First Nations
Phillip Djwa, FNESC
April 24, 2008
• View this video online
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q
The World is Flat we are preparing students for
jobs that don’t exist, using technologies that
haven’t been invented, to solve problems we
haven’t begun to think about.
-Thomas Friedman
Therefore definition of what it means to be
educated in the light of the modern world
has changed
"the illiterate of the twenty-first
century will not be those who cannot
read and write, but those who cannot
learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
- Alvin Toffler
The Issue
• In the Infowhelm age, learners need to work
with information in all forms to fashion content
products that have value, that entertain and
teach.
• But if learners do is learn the traditional
literacies –read, write, arithmetic- they may be
literate by 20th Century standards but not by
21st Century standards.
The Opportunity
• Industrial Age
1. means of production
2. channels of distribution
3. means of marketing
• TODAY music examples - you can record the
music on your home studio, distribute it
through your website and market it through
Youtube, Myspace, Facebook
What about Canada and BC?
• FNS resolutions re: FNTC
• AFN resolutions 72 & 65
• Federal government initiatives
– 2007 strategy Mobilizing Science and Technology
to Canada’s Advantage
– National Literacy Secretariat of Human Resources
and Skills Development Canada
• Provincial government initiatives
– best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the
continent – Sept 2007
Our Definition of Digital Literacy
• The ability to use Information and
Communications Technology to
locate, evaluate, create, edit, and use
information for the purpose of
creating knowledge
Our Definition of Digital Literacy
• The components are:
– Connectivity
– Computers
– Capacity
Digital literacy + Access to connected computers =
Community capacity building
Digital Literacy Report
• In 2007, FNESC received $50k funding from
NetworkBC, a project office of the BC
Government to assist in the development of a
report on Digital Literacy in BC
• The report was complete in the Fall of 2007
Key Findings
• Digital literacy must be focused on the
audience we want to serve – community
members on-reserve – and must be learnercentred
• A holistic community approach is key, as is
understanding community needs
• Sustainability is very important
Strategic use of ICT = infrastructure + skills + purpose.
Key Conclusions
• Defining digital literacy that is appropriate
for the target audience
• Understanding the needs and wants of
the community is paramount
• Holistic community approach
• First Nations adults succeed with a
learner-centred approach
Key Conclusions cont.
• Learning, not just task-based training
• Managing infrastructure is complicated,
and distracts from core learning goals
• Celebrating and sharing successes is
important for promoting lifelong learning
Digital Lilypad Project
• FNESC has developed a preliminary project
called the Digital Lilypad
• BC Regional approach to digital literacy
• Short courses designed to teach basic user
skills
• Common curriculum shared
• Taught Online & in-person
Thank you!
• Questions or feedback?
• Copies are available please contact us!
• Please feel free to contact SchoolNet at the
FNESC office 604-925-6087
– Phillip Djwa - phillip@fnesc.ca