System upgrades help students learn

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Students from 73 First Nations schools across Saskatchewan will soon have speedier Internet access thanks to a satellite upgrade by the Saskatchewan Communication Network (SCN). This fall, SCN's one-way Digital Satellite Network will be replaced by a two-way satellite system, allowing students to find on-line learning resources.

"This will enable teachers and the students to have a better quality of education because of the better access to learning resource ... if you've got 30 computers all hitting the Internet at the same time and you're on a dial-up phone line, nobody's going to get anything. And with the increased bandwidth, everybody will be able to load their pages and they'll be able to access this information," said Randy Johns, general manager of the Keewatin Career Development Corporation (KCDC), one of the SCN's project partners.

"It also sets the stage for better technology throughout the school so the school's whole computer network can be made better," added Johns.

Not only will the satellite upgrade be more cost effective because it builds on the existing technology, it will make getting help with assignments easier for students in First Nation schools, where enrolment may only range from 100 to 200. Johns said the new technology will allow students to get help if they cannot find what they are looking for in their own school library.

"In a school like that, the library and the periodical shelves are pretty thin ... then they get an assignment from a teacher-where do they go for the resources for this?" said Johns.

Cara Greyeyes is the First Nations SchoolNet technology co-ordinator. She said this project is an interim solution until a high speed DSL Internet connection can be introduced into the schools.

"We are really excited about the two-way satellite upgrade to the one-way system that was already in place, providing faster connectivity. Our goal is to give the schools the best connectivity that the school can possibly have in the area they are located. So the connectivity is the end to our means," said Greyeyes.

The Internet service is provided by CommunityNet, which serves 366 communities across the province. In addition to faster access to cyberspace, video channels will also deliver high school and post-secondary courses to more than 230 classrooms. Johns said this is a big bonus for the smaller schools that may not offer a wide range of electives and lack some of the resources needed for core courses. Johns also hopes to do more research and develop the network for video conferencing, where students in one location can interact with other students and teachers elsewhere.

The satellite upgrade is a result of a partnership between SCN, Saskatchewan Learning, KCDC and Industry Canada. Cost of the expansion and operations is $5.38 million over three years and is shared by Saskatchewan Learning and KCDC.