Over 80 students living in remote northern Saskatchewan communities were honoured during a special ceremony Nov. 15 in Prince Albert, Sask., as they graduate from Lakeland College’s early learning and child care (ELCC) certificate program delivered online through Credenda Virtual High School.

The online offering of Lakeland College’s ELCC certificate program was the result of a partnership between the college and Credenda. Credenda offers programming to remote northern Saskatchewan communities via synchronous part-time delivery using e-luminate live!, an interactive online format. Students interact with instructors and cohorts weekly during evenings and/or weekends. 

Students began studies in the online ELCC offering in September 2006 and since then, completed ten 45-hour courses and two 200-hour practicum placements to fulfill program requirements. As most students do not have internet access or computers at home, they met two times per week at community educational or health-care centres to log in for their lessons and to interact with fellow cohorts and instructors.

Pat Wasylik, ELCC program chair at Lakeland, says the college and Credenda worked hard to ensure standards for academic integrity and credibility were maintained for the online offering.

“Instructors, Kasey Fulton, Ashley Duiker and Dawne Mutch, were careful to see that the level of instruction and quality of student work were of the same calibre as Lakeland’s face-to-face delivery model,” says Wasylik. “Our registrar’s office also worked closely with Credenda to ensure students met all Lakeland College graduate requirements.”

All students taking the ELCC online program are mature students including some in their 50s and 60s. Most of them are also members of the Aboriginal and First Nations population. Vince Hill, Credenda principal, says these types of online programs are important and cost-effective for residents in remote locations to gain new job skills.

“Delivering through Credenda was a natural fit for the needs of these students and their communities. These students need to stay in their communities and their communities need qualified staff for daycares, HeadStart programs and other child-centred initiatives,” says Hill. “Now Prince Albert Grand Council, Saskatoon Tribal Council and Meadow Lake Tribal Council have over 60 certified early learning and child care educators that they didn’t have two years ago. A truly amazing fact about this first group is that some of them had never used a computer before. They were able to meet the challenge because they care about children. Now with their ELCC certificates, they can better help children discover, explore, create and learn through play.”

Student Hazel Sewap of Cumberland House agrees.

“I can’t begin to tell you how much the program has done for me,” says Sewap. “I have learned so much and have improved my skills as an early childhood educator,” says Sewap.

Connie Head from Red Earth, another student in the program, adds that being able to stay in her own community was of huge benefit that helped her succeed.

“I loved the classes, using the computer, and not having to move away from my home to earn the certificate,” says Head. “My experience has been awesome. The program gave me knowledge that I can apply directly to my work at the Red Earth Awasisuk Daycare. My goal in life is to be a nursery school teacher. With this certificate, I am one step closer to my dream.”

Later this month, Wasylik will present information about the partnership and the program’s success at the Early Childhood Faculty Forum in Montreal, Que., an affinity group of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC).

Lakeland College and Credenda Virtual High School have expanded their partnership to use online delivery methods and technology for another cohort of ELCC certificate students as well as the ELCC diploma program and the educational assistant program. Plans are currently underway to offer more post-secondary programs including office administration.