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Learning communities in the oil sands, and in remote and rural Alberta

Learning communities in the oil sands, and in remote and rural Alberta. Dr. Patrick J. Fahy Athabasca University Distance Education and Technology Symposium 13 June 2008 Delta Edmonton Centre Suite Hotel Edmonton, Alberta. Origin of the Learning Communities Project.

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Learning communities in the oil sands, and in remote and rural Alberta

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  1. Learning communities in the oil sands, and in remote and rural Alberta Dr. Patrick J. Fahy Athabasca University Distance Education and Technology Symposium 13 June 2008 Delta Edmonton Centre Suite Hotel Edmonton, Alberta

  2. Origin of the Learning Communities Project • Athabasca University model: • open and distance university offerings on various “lines” • PLAR • DE model: reduce barriers for remote, rural communities, camp residents, due to work, personal realities • Project funded by a donation from Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNQ), in-kind from AU. • Create competitive advantage. • Do well while doing good.

  3. Project objectives • Transform the workplace, communities • Address personal goals for career change, advancement. • Create learning communities in rural and remote areas. • (For corporate sponsors): attract and retain skilled workforce • Identify and promote Alberta institutions

  4. Project principles • Four targeted audiences: camp workers, northern and rural residents, aboriginals • Initial focus: Horizon site • Develop partnerships, based on needs, interests, and preferences - Offerings must offer “distance” access • Request that communities contribute access, time, expertise, material support

  5. What is distance education? Same time Different time synchronousasynchronous Same Place 1 2 Site-bound Different Place 3 4 Site-independent

  6. Communities of present LCP interest • Horizon site (mobile workers) • Wood Buffalo region (Fort Chipewyan and Fort McKay) • Cold Lake (town and CFB Cold Lake) • Three Hills • Wabasca • Fort St. John, B.C.

  7. Horizon site facts • Located 45 miles north of Ft. McMurray • Construction commenced 2001 • Production fall 2008 • Open pit mining

  8. Horizon site by the numbers Total workers on site = 19,948 • Construction contract workers = 18,844 • CNQ employees = 1,104 • Workers residing in lodges = 8, 250 • Daily avg. workers on site = 8,353 (April 30, 2008)

  9. Construction challenges • Reliance on a mobile workforce • Expensive – the workforce comes from across Canada • Retiring workforce • In construction industry, avg age over 45 • Need for exceptionally high level of project management, especially in oil sands operations • LCP identified project management as a popular learning interest • Life-work balance difficult to achieve • Long shifts, physically demanding, work camp living (5 work camps), high security, family away Alberta Employment and Immigration. (2007). A workforce strategy for Alberta’s construction industry.

  10. LCP activities on site • Project “launches” at 5 camps • Set-up in lobby areas • Materials on hand, staff available to answer questions and take requests for detailed information • Researcher present to record nature of inquiries & requests • Speaker series • “Eating for Health” • “Life Balance” • MBA Sessions • The AU MBA program

  11. Findings: Learning preferences expressed • 36% Business, Finance & Management • MBA • Project Management • Business Administration, Accounting, and HR • 34 %Trades & Engineering • Blue Seal • Health & Safety • Red Seal • APEGGA courses or exam preparation

  12. Findings: Learning interests expressed • Others: • Computer applications, including Microsoft Office • English as a Second Language • Languages – Spanish, Italian, French • Academic upgrading, or grade 12 equivalency • General interest: fitness, guitar, flight training, martial arts

  13. Issues & challenges • Communication on-site is complicated – no common link, many work group list-serves • Organizing events time-consuming and complex – procedures and people constantly changing • Audience is shift / mobile workers; may be temporary foreign workers – education dedication may be low • Computer/internet access not always available or familiar • Potential students often not familiar with, or actually skeptical about, distance education (research issue)

  14. Research products to date • Eight Occasional Reports • Interim Report 1 • Literature annotations • Paper submitted to peer reviewed journal “Post-Secondary Learning Priorities of Workers in an Oil Sands Camp in Northern Alberta” (In press) • Baseline study “Programming Available and Requested in Remote Areas of Alberta” (In progress)

  15. Next steps • Continue information and speaker sessions, Horizon site and others • Population will change when production starts, fall 2008 • Intensify research into learning interests in other identified communities outside the oil sands • Continue Occasional Reports (formative evaluation) • Continue peer-reviewed publications (dissemination) • Continue to evaluate project operations (1 more interim report, final report at project end)

  16. For more information … • Website: http://www.athabascau.ca/lc/ • Email: asklc@athabascau.ca

  17. Thank you for your interest • Patrick Fahy (patf@athabascau.ca) • 866-514-6234 • Nancy Steel (nancys@athabascau.ca) • 866-569-8051

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