Digital  Technology  Adop2on  in  Remote  and  Northern  Indigenous  

Communi2es  in  Canada      

Brian  Beaton  Doctoral  Candidate,  Faculty  of  Educa5on  

University  of  New  Brunswick  

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 October  13,  2016  

Canadian  Rural  Revitaliza2on  Founda2on  /    Rural  Policy  Learning  Commons  Conference  

Guelph,  Ontario  

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Recognizing  and  honouring  the  unceded  tradi5onal  territories  of  the  Wolastoq  Na5on  as  the  place  for  my  doctoral  studies  work  and  the    

Nishnawbe  Aski  Na5on  in  northern  Ontario  where  our  research  work  is  taking  place  and  Six  Na5on  territory  where  we  gather.  

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As  a  seEler  and  ally,  I  am  privileged  and  honoured  to  be  working  with  the  First  Na2ons  Innova2on  research  project,  the  Keeway2nook  Okimakanak  First  Na2ons  

and  their  First  Na2ons  council    

Context  

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•  Beaton,  B.,  Perley,  D.,  George,  C.  &  O’Donnell,  S.  (2016,  in  press).  Engaging  Remote  Indigenous  Communi5es  Using  Appropriate  Online  Research  Methods.  In  In  N.  Fielding,  R.  M.  Lee  &  G.  Blank  (eds.),  The  Sage  handbook  of  online  research  methods  -­‐  2nd  edi7on,  Sage.  London,  UK.    

•  Beaton,  B.,  McMahon,  R.,  O’Donnell,  S.,  Hudson,  H.,  Whiteduck,  T.  &  Williams,  D.  (2016).  Digital  Technology  Adop5on  in  Northern  and  Remote  Indigenous  Communi5es.  Prepared  for  Innova5on,  Science  and  Economic  Development  Canada.  First  Mile  Connec7vity  Consor7um.  March.  

•  Theories:  Community  informa5cs  (Clement,  et  al),  OCAP  (AFN),  Decoloniza5on  (Ba\ste,  Smith,  Tuck,  Wilson),  Resilient  communi5es  (Kirmayer),  Desired-­‐based  development  (Tuck,  2009)  

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First  Na2ons  Innova2on  research  

•  Ongoing  since  2005  •  Funded  by  SSHRC  (Social  

Sciences  &  Humani5es  Research  Council  of  Canada)  

•  In-­‐kind  from  partners:    ²  Keeway5nook  Okimakanak  

(Ontario)  ²  First  Na5ons  Educa5on  Council  

(Quebec)  ²  Mi’kmaw  Kina’matnewey  

(Atlan5c)  

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New  model  for  understanding  technology  adop2on  

•  Previous  model  -­‐  individual  /  household  adop5on  –  works  well  in  urban  environments  benefi\ng  telcos  but  difficult  to  apply  in    remote  /  northern  Indigenous  communi5es  

 •  A  new  model  is  required  

–  Judy  Whiteduck  (2010)  e-­‐Community  model  for  digital  technology  deployment  in  First  Na5ons  

–  McMahon  et  al.  (2014)  Indigenous  intermediary  technology  organiza5ons  

–  Rhinesmith  (2016)  networked  community  adop5on  model  and  Dailey,  Bryne,  Powell,  Karaganis  &  Chung  (2010):  central  role  of  community  organiza5ons  in  technology  adop5on  in  low  income  communi5es  in  US  

–  O’Donnell  (2001):  role  of  community  and  voluntary  orgs  suppor5ng  technology  adop5on  in  Europe  

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Whole  community  understanding  of  digital  technology  adop2on  

Infrastructure  suppor2ng  community  adop2on  

Community  services  and  community  organiza2ons  

Community  members  and  households  

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Digital  technologies  used  by  and  for  the  whole  community  

Healthcare,  telehealth,  and  health  educa5on  

Economic  development,  business  and  

entrepreneurship  

Educa5on  and  distance  educa5on  

Indigenous  government  and  governance    

Jus5ce,  public  safety  and  emergency  

communica5ons  

Community  interconnec5on  

and  interdependency  

Digital  content  about  Indigenous  culture  and  iden5ty  

Commercial  entertainment  

Research,  data  collec5on,  GIS,  

report  genera5on  

Infrastructure  maintenance,  

remote  monitoring  

Indigenous  resurgence,  self-­‐determina5on  and  

ac5vism  

Land-­‐based  ac5vi5es  and  environmental  sustainability    

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How  Indigenous  communi2es  use  digital  technologies:  research  

•  Indigenous  resurgence  •  Indigenous  culture  and  iden5ty  •  Indigenous  government  and  governance  •  Educa5on  and  distance  educa5on  •  Healthcare,  telehealth,  and  health  educa5on  •  Economic  development  and  entrepreneurship  •  Land-­‐based  ac5vi5es  •  Public  safety  •  Social  networking  

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Iden2fica2on  of  Primary  and  Secondary  Data  Sources  

Data  sources  associated  with:    •  community  members  /  household  factors    

•  community-­‐level  factors    

•  infrastructure  suppor5ng  adop5on  

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Methodologies,  Research  Strategies  and    Research  Ques2ons  

1. Methodologies  considered  •  Focus  group  with  video  conference  •  Online  survey  of  community  members  •  Online  leadership  survey  •  Ques5onnaire  administered  in  schools  

2. Other  methodologies  to  consider  for  future  studies  •  Random  sample  telephone  survey  •  Targeted  telephone  survey  •  On-­‐site  household  survey  •  Research  ques5ons  

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Online  Focus  Group      

in  Timiskaming  First  Na2on,  Quebec  

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Key  Informant  Interviews    

in  Iskut  First  Na2on,  B.C.  

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Community  Asset  Mapping  Tool        

in  Poplar  Hill  First  Na2on,  ON  

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Conduc2ng  research  on  digital  technology  adop2on  in  remote  and  northern  Indigenous  communi2es:  •  More  research  is  needed  ..  •  Dis5nguish  among  Inuit,  First  Na5on,  and  Mé5s  na5ons  and  communi5es    •  Need  to  work  with  an  Inuit  community  to  include  their  experience  •  Respect  and  follow  the  appropriate  research  ethics  and  data  governance  protocols  •  Partner  with  regional  Indigenous  organiza5ons  that  can  act  as  intermediaries    •  Develop  a  strong  working  rela5onship  with  each  unique  Indigenous  community  •  Online  research  can  be  appropriate  and  cost-­‐effec5ve  ..  •  Requires  an  appropriate  mix  of  three  methodological  approaches:  online  or  virtual  

research  conducted  remotely  by  trained  researchers,  in-­‐person  research  with  visi5ng  researchers,  and  capacity-­‐building  to  train  and  support  local  community  researchers  

•  Whole  community  approach  to  developing  appropriate  research  instruments  and  data  analysis.  

Iden2fied  Recommenda2ons  

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Addressing  constraints  and  barriers  to  digital  technology  adop2on  in  these  communi2es:  •  Review  exis5ng  mechanisms  for  funding  digital  network  infrastructure  development  in  remote  and  northern  regions  and  assess  the  resul5ng  costs  and  benefits  to  Indigenous  communi5es.  

•  Support  approaches  for  developing  digital  infrastructure  in  northern  and  remote  regions  that  ensure  equity,  adaptability,  accessibility,  affordability  and  sustainability.  

•  Support  the  regional  community  intermediary  organiza5ons  that  provide  technical  exper5se  with  the  resources  required  to  upgrade,  operate  and  maintain  the  digital  infrastructure  in  remote  and  northern  Indigenous  communi5es.  

•  Ensure  every  Indigenous  community  has  local  technical  support  available.  •  Recognize  the  need  for  training,  skills  development  and  capacity-­‐building  in  the  community,  at  all  levels  from  residents  interested  in  skills  and  applica5ons  for  use  at  home  and  work  to  community  technicians.  

•  Support  local  and  regional  efforts  to  produce  digital  content  in  Indigenous  languages.  

Research,  policy,  outreach:    First  Mile  website  

•  hkp://firstmile.ca  

•  Research:  First  Na5ons  Innova5on  project  

•  Policy:  First  Mile  Connec5vity  Consor5um  

•  Outreach:  community  stories  

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References    

•  Anaya,  J.  (2014).  Report  of  the  special  rapporteur  on  the  rights  of  Indigenous  peoples,  James  Anaya,  on  the  situa7on  of  Indigenous  peoples  in  Canada.  United  Na7ons,  Human  Rights  Council,  27th  session,  May.  New  York:  United  Na5ons.  

•  Beaton,  B.,  Seibel,  F.  &  Thomas,  L.  (2014).  Valuing  the  social  economy  and  informa5on  and  communica5on  technologies  (ICT)  in  small  remote  First  Na5ons.  Associa5on  of  Social  Economy  and  Non-­‐Profit  Research,  Brock  University,  St.  Catherines,  Ontario,  May.  

•  Beaton,  B.,  Campbell,  P.  (2014).  Sekler  Colonialism  and  First  Na5ons  e-­‐Communi5es  in  Northwestern  Ontario.  Journal  of  Community  Informa7cs,  10  (2).  

•  Gibson  KL,  Coulson  H,  Miles  R,  Kakekakekung  C,  Daniels  E,  O'Donnell  S.  (2011).  Conversa5ons  on  telemental  health:  listening  to  remote  and  rural  First  Na5ons  communi5es  .  Rural  and  Remote  Health  11  (online),  2011:  1656.    

•  Gurstein,  M.,  Beaton,  B.,  Sherlock,  K.  (2009).  A  community  informa5cs  model  for  e-­‐services  in  Indigenous  communi5es:  The  KNET  approach  to  water  treatment  in  northern  Ontario.  Journal  of  Community  Informa7cs,  5(2).  

 •  McMahon,  R.,  LaHache,  T.,  &  Whiteduck,  T.  (2015).  Digital  data  management  as  Indigenous  resurgence  in  Kahnawà:ke.  Interna7onal  Indigenous  Policy  Journal  6(3).  

•  Molyneaux,  H.,  O'Donnell,  S.,  Kakekaspan,  C.,  Walmark,  B.,  Budka,  P.,  Gibson,  K.  (2014)  Social  Media  in  Remote  First  Na5on  Communi5es.  Canadian  Journal  of  Communica7on  39(2)  275-­‐288.  

•  O’Donnell,  S.,  McQuillan,  H.  &  Malina,  A.  (2003).  eInclusion:  Expanding  the  Informa7on  Society  in  Ireland.  Informa5on  Society  Commission,  Department  of  the  Taoiseach,  Government  of  Ireland.  Dublin.  September.  

   •  O'Donnell,  S.  (2001).  Towards  an  Inclusive  Informa7on  Society  in  Europe:  The  Role  of  Voluntary  Organisa7ons.  Informa5on  Society  Technologies  (IST)  Research  

Program,  European  Commission.  Dublin:  Itech  Research.      •  Perley,  S.  (2009)  Representa5on  and  Par5cipa5on  of  First  Na5ons  Women  in  Online  Videos.  Journal  of  Community  Informa7cs  5(1).    

•  Rhinesmith,  C.  (2016).  Digital  Inclusion  and  Meaningful  Broadband  Adop7on  Ini7a7ves.  Evanston,  IL:  Benton  Founda5on,  January.  benton.org/broadband-­‐inclusion-­‐adop5on-­‐report  

•  Simon,  J.,  Burton,  K.,  Lockhart,  E.  &  O'Donnell,  S.  (2014).  Post-­‐Secondary  Distance  Educa5on  in  a  Contemporary  Colonial  Context:  Experiences  of  Students  in  a  Rural  First  Na5on  in  Canada.  The  Interna7onal  Review  of  Research  on  Open  and  Distance  Learning.  1(15),  1-­‐19.  

•  Tuck,  E.  (2009).  Suspending  Damage:  A  leker  to  communi5es.  In  Harvard  Educa7onal  Review,  79  :  3  :  409-­‐428.  Harvard  Educa5on  Publishing  Group.    •  Whiteduck,  J.  (2010).  Building  the  First  Na5on  e-­‐Community.  In  White,  J.P.,  Peters,  J.,  Beavon,  D.,  Dinsdale,  P.  (eds).  Aboriginal  Policy  Research  VI:  Learning,  

Technology  and  Tradi7ons.  Toronto:  Thompson  Educa5onal  Publishing:  95-­‐103.  

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