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First Nations Connectivity Research

Completed 2008

Phase I - Liaison and ongoing consultation with First Nations organizations, especially the First Nations Technology Council, Network BC Project Office, and provincial and federal ministries that are planning to provide services through broadband access to First Nations. Objective: establish working relationships with stakeholders, identify target groups for field research, formulate and focus research questions across a broad range of outcomes (health, education, community development, jobs and skills development, local governance, intra and inter-community social capital enhancement, etc).

Phase II - Literature review on: technology and development research methods, health technologies and ICT research methods, native community development and ICTs, and other related topics. Application for and receipt of ethics clearance for research in phase IV and permission from each First Nation identified as a target community. Objective: a suite of research tools, protocols, sampling methods, survey instruments, and data collection standards suited to the target communities and research questions identified in Phase I.

Further phases are anticipated, pending additional funding.