Georgian College

25 GEORGIANVIEW 2024 PRINT EDITION NEW TECHNOLOGY NEW TECHNOLOGY Students in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will explore Indigenous language and cultures using virtual reality (VR) as part of their curriculum thanks to Georgian's immersive learning technology. The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB), the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and the University College of the North, Manitoba are the first to sign memorandums of alliance with Georgian to allow their elementary, secondary and postsecondary students, respectively, access to the college's VR worlds that explore Indigenous language in the home, community, workplace, natural environment and more. The aim of these partnerships is to offer a new teaching tool to those learning about Indigenous language and culture, address the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, and help revitalize and preserve Indigenous languages. "Creating innovative virtual worlds and then teaching Indigenous languages in them has truly been a labour of love, and we are so excited to collaborate with educational partners to make Indigenous languages and cultures accessible to even more people," says Michele O'Brien, Indigenous Studies Coordinator and Virtual Reality Educator at Georgian. "Helping pave the way for Georgian as a leader in Indigenous education is a dream come true." The creation and evolution of these VR worlds hasn't gone unnoticed, with Georgian receiving gold in the category of Indigenous Education at the 2023 World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics' Awards of Excellence for efforts to ensure preservation of the Anishnaabemowin language. The team that developed the VR worlds also received the 2022 Minister of Colleges and Universities' Award of Excellence in the category of Future Proofing students. The SCDSB was the first to sign on in partnership, and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, a First Nations-governed educational institution, is planning to use Georgian's Indigenous language VR worlds in a wide range of program areas. Georgian introduced VR to Indigenous Studies in 2020 as an innovative way to take language learning to the next level and to connect Indigenous educators and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Rob Theriault, Immersive Technology Manager at the college. Rob and Michele first developed the concept, called Indigenous Peoples in XR (exdended reality), for these new partnerships at that time, with a goal to eventually invite non-Indigenous learners to events in these virtual worlds to hear from Indigenous teachers and better understand Indigenous issues. Indigenous language VR worlds are also part of the curriculum in Georgian's Anishnaabemowin and Program Development and Maajii- Anishnaabemdaa (Start Speaking the Language) programs. Editor's note: Members of the Indigenous Language VR Worlds Team, Ernestine Baldwin, Angeline King, Cody McGregor, Greg McGregor, Michele O'Brien and Rob Theriault were recently awarded a Board of Governors' Team Award at the 2024 Awards of Distinction celebration. Georgian partnerships take Indigenous language VR program across Canada Reality Educator, says there's an interest and uptake of students and educators reaching out to Georgian from outside the region, as far away as Saskatchewan and Manitoba. "Supporting Indigenous language revitalization and reclamation is the heart and soul of Truth and Reconciliation," says Mitchell. "Educational institutions were the mechanism by which language was taken away from the people and it is now the responsibility of modern institutions to give it back. The support Georgian has shown toward our language program is a strong act of solidarity as we relearn our ways. Ongoing support is still needed, though, as we modernize, expand, and improve our offerings." | Mitchell Akerman (class of 2019)

• Cover