Communications and Information Technologies and the Education of Canada's Native Peoples. New Technologies in Canadian Education Series. Paper 6.

This paper examines communications and information technologies and the ways in which they have been used in both the formal and the nonformal education of Canada's native people (four groups: status Indians, non-status Indians, Metis, and Inuits). It is noted that generalizations about the use of technology in native schools is difficult because of the varying official status of native populations, different provincial jurisdiction over those populations, and the different languages and customs involved. The first section of the paper considers the use of film, video, and computers in formal education settings. The second section briefly discusses the history of native education from 1960 to 1983 and examines federal experiments in nonformal educational applications including radio, satellite, video, and interactive television communications. A mini-revolution in the development of native-language materials made possible by new developments in microcomputer technology is described, as well as uses of computers, instructional television, teleconferencing, and instructional video in classroom settings. A concluding statement briefly discusses the need for native access and control, the need to exploit the interactive capacity of new technologies, the need for culturally appropriate software, the need for further research, and future goals for the education of Canada's native peoples. It is noted that, although educational technologies offer native Canadians the potential for major advancements in formal and nonformal education, there is always the danger that the distinct identity of native peoples may be subverted in the process. (44 references) (DB)