Prelude - A game of discovery and learning.

BCFN Education Collaboration

June 1, 2010

The Education Authority oversees the Oski Pasikoniwew Kamik (Bigstone Community School) as well as post secondary education. The community has several thousand members.

Location: Demarais, Alberta

Program: New Middle School Launch & 21C Change Learning Toolkit

Website: http://www.bigstone.ca/

Description: Prelude was introduced to the Bigstone Cree Nation Education Authority through Classroom Connections in early 2009. The initial goal was to introduce Prelude to the staff and students of a new Middle School later that year. In August 09, as a first step, Council Members and Educators played the learning game. In October 09, as a second step, the BCN Chief, Council Members, and Band Department Directors also played Prelude. In April 2010, students of the Oski Pasikoniwew Kamik (Bigstone Community School) played the game for the first time.

During this time, the initial pilot project became subsumed within a larger initiative under the banner of the 21C Change Learning Toolkit. Prelude is now one of four tools including an assessment tool from Resiliency Initiatives, a financial literacy game from National Life Work Centre, and a career development process from the Aboriginal Human Resource Council. The goal is to create an easy-to-access online Toolkit of innovative assessment and career development tools for use in Aboriginal communities across Canada—even in remote regions where the cost of implementing new programs for multi-barriered youth would be prohibitive, and awareness of available programs is very limited.

The combination of tools is designed to engage unemployed and out of school youth (15-30) in the process of discovering their strengths, imagining positive futures and exploring potential career paths.  They will also have the opportunity to build essential workplace skills, emotional/social skills and functional literacies in communication and technology. Staff training, student piloting, and technology integration is currently underway between collaborators.

Photos:

August 2009: Staff Training

October 2009: BCN Chief, Council, &  Band Department Directors

April 2010:  Middle School Students