Reaching Out to the Rural Schools

By 250 News

Education Minister Shirley Bond has announced $230-thousand dollars in funding for web conferencing tools aimed at improving access and learning opportunties for rural students.

In School District 57, the secondary schools in MacKenzie, McBride and Valemount will benefit from the announcement to mark Computer Literacy Day.

The Education Minister points out, "Many students in rural areas can't take the courses they want because there aren't enough students for a class or because there isn't a qualified teacher."  She says, "Those students will now be able to use state-of-the-art technology to take courses previously unavailable to them."

The web conferencing tools will allow rural schools to:
-- provided high-quality educational opportunities and more choice
-- give students more opportunities to participate in on-line activities that enhance learning
-- increase opportunities for educators to collaborate and share best practises

Bond says schools will be provided with the technology and training to use web conferencing to deliver real-time, interactive courses through BCEd Online, an e-learning consortium that includes public school districts and independent schools.

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