TEACHING THE CANADIAN NORTH: A NORTHERN ONTARIO PERSPECTIVE.

In 2006, after working in Northern Ontario for about 25 years, I was asked to teach a half course on "Geography of Northern Canada". Seven years later I'm still teaching the course, as a sessional professor, at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. Reflecting on 'Teaching the Canadian North' requires an examination of 'Teaching (In) the North' and the importance (or not) of location. It also requires some discussion on the interdisciplinary nature of teaching about the North and the importance of studying northern images. Canadian students need an understanding of northern issues and impacts which is based on interdisciplinary literatures and images. Due to the expenses and time required for on-site learning, they will likely need to gain this understanding without ever visiting the North. Our goal must be to make the North 'real' for them, while at the same time encouraging them to both examine past images of the North, and to imagine what 'North' means to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]