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Selected Works

Michelle Eady

Conference Papers

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Articles 1 - 9 of 9

Full-Text Articles in Education

Computer Literacies And Australian Indigenous Communities: Sharing, Scaffolding, And Supporting In An Online Learning Environment, Michelle Eady, Irina Verenikina, Wendy Nielsen Mar 2013

Computer Literacies And Australian Indigenous Communities: Sharing, Scaffolding, And Supporting In An Online Learning Environment, Michelle Eady, Irina Verenikina, Wendy Nielsen

Michelle Eady

Current reports indicate literacy rates among adult Indigenous Australians remain low despite years of improvement initiatives. Synchronous learning technology has potential to provide literacy and training to Indigenous learners living in remote communities. Although considerable research has been devoted to the area of internet-based learning in general, there is less research in the area of online synchronous learning opportunities for remote Indigenous learners. This paper offers insights gained from a unique research project that empowered members of a remote Indigenous community through a hands-on opportunity with synchronous technology where learners shared their strengths, and saw potential for their own futures.


Aboriginal Literacy: Bridging The Distance To Learning, Michelle Eady Mar 2013

Aboriginal Literacy: Bridging The Distance To Learning, Michelle Eady

Michelle Eady

The Sioux Hudson Literacy Council is making groundbreaking strides to reach adult Aboriginal learners who reside in remote, isolated communities of Northwestern Ontario, Canada. This literacy organization services learners within the community and surrounding area. The 35 communities, which have a total population of approximately 35,000 people, are often only accessible by plane in the summer months and ice roads during the winter. The Aboriginal community members have not had the privilege of strong, structured educational backgrounds and have not had the opportunity to improve their existing literacy and employability skills. There are currently programs in these communities offered to …


Indigenous Sharing, Collaboration And Synchronous Learning, Michelle Eady, Irina Verenikina, Sarah Jones Mar 2013

Indigenous Sharing, Collaboration And Synchronous Learning, Michelle Eady, Irina Verenikina, Sarah Jones

Michelle Eady

Online learning is progressively accepted in Indigenous communities with the realized potential for sharing, collaboration and learning for adults living in remote and isolated communities. This study used a design-based research approach that provided opportunity to integrate the current literature, literacy practitioners' views and community members' self identified literacy needs to generate ten draft guiding principles which guided this study. A collaborative community engagement project was created by the community members in consideration of these principles and presented in three iterations in a synchronous environment which will lead to design-based principles for working with technology and Indigenous communities. This paper …


Hooked On Learning: Connections At A Distance, Michelle Eady Mar 2013

Hooked On Learning: Connections At A Distance, Michelle Eady

Michelle Eady

This session will have you thinking about using technology in your classroom in ways you haven't before. Good Learning Anywhere is facilitated by the Sioux Hudson Literacy Council (SHLC) and funded by the government of Ontario, Canada. It now reaches 35 remote Aboriginal communities. In collaboration with School of the Air in South Australia, SHLC expanded to focus on connecting children in Northern Ontario and South Australia and provide them with learning experiences including Aboriginal Learning. Connected Learning, Literacy and Numeracy Skills whilst getting the students "Hooked on Learning".


Establishing Design Principles For Online Synchronous Literacy Learning For Indigenous Learners, Michelle Eady, Anthony Herrington, Caroline Jones Mar 2013

Establishing Design Principles For Online Synchronous Literacy Learning For Indigenous Learners, Michelle Eady, Anthony Herrington, Caroline Jones

Michelle Eady

Synchronous learning has the potential to provide literacy and essential skills training to Indigenous learners living in remote and isolated communities. Although there is considerable research completed in the area of internet-based learning technologies in general, there is very little research in the area of online synchronous learning opportunities for remote Indigenous learners. This paper presents the results and theoretical framework of the first and second phases of a four phase design-based research approach that aims to establish design principles to guide the future development of synchronous online literacy services for Indigenous learners living in remote Australian communities.


Experienced Academics In Unknown Territory: Exploring The Use Of Online Synchronous Technology In A Teacher Education Program, Michelle Eady, Stuart Woodcock Mar 2013

Experienced Academics In Unknown Territory: Exploring The Use Of Online Synchronous Technology In A Teacher Education Program, Michelle Eady, Stuart Woodcock

Michelle Eady

As the number of online courses available from tertiary institutions increases, so does the demand for academics to utilize flexible approaches to learning opportunities. Many tertiary institutions in Australia cater to multi-location learners in various ways and commonly, experts in the field of distance learning and trained technological teams work together to service these learners. There are a growing number of distance learners and a constant increase in the variety of educational software employed by institutions. In this study academics become participants and engage in a focus group to discuss their experiences and thoughts of online learning. The participants then …


Computers For All? Dispelling The Myth Of Accessible Hardware In Indigenous Communities, Michelle Eady, Stuart Woodcock Mar 2013

Computers For All? Dispelling The Myth Of Accessible Hardware In Indigenous Communities, Michelle Eady, Stuart Woodcock

Michelle Eady

Current reports and research trends suggest that up-to-date computer hardware and internet accessibility are widely available in most rural Indigenous communities. This paper presents a case study which shows that the problem of a lack of current hardware technology and related programs and internet accessibility has yet to be resolved. While adult literacy learners and community members are eager and adapt easily to technology, there remains several barriers to employment readiness and literacy learning opportunities using computers. There are many challenges faced by these community members, including accessing funds to purchase equipment, shipping issues, computer set up and operation experience, …


Perspectives On Literacy Needs And Technology Approaches In Indigenous Communities, Michelle Eady Mar 2013

Perspectives On Literacy Needs And Technology Approaches In Indigenous Communities, Michelle Eady

Michelle Eady

Michelle Eady presented at last year's ACAL conference in Gold Coast and although she didn't "catch" any waves, she definitely made some. Her current research reflects a successful online literacy program in Canada that reaches remote adult Indigenous literacy learners. This presentation will discuss the findings of the first phase of her design-based research approach and share the findings of how practitioners (many of them ACAL members) and community members feel about literacy needs and technology in their respective positions and Indigenous communities.


Crocodiles And Polar Bears: A Cross Cultural Comparison Of Adult Learning In Remote Indigenous Communities, Michelle Eady, Alison Reedy Mar 2013

Crocodiles And Polar Bears: A Cross Cultural Comparison Of Adult Learning In Remote Indigenous Communities, Michelle Eady, Alison Reedy

Michelle Eady

This presentation compares and contrasts the context of adult learning for two groups of adult Indigenous students, one from the northern Australian tropics and one from far Northwestern Ontario. It also examines the ways that technology is used to try and bridge the distance between Indigenous adult learners' goals and educational opportunities. From this comparison we conclude that the educational gap between Indigenous and non Indigenous learners in Canada is closing, while the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is widening. We reflect on the reasons why Indigenous adult learners in Northwestern Ontario are being better served in comparison to …