Northwest Territories Literacy Council

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Research

What is research?

Research is about exploring specific topics in a systematic way. Researchers hope that people will apply their research findings to practical situations.

When we think of research, we often think about the kind of research that people in universities conduct. In fact, many people, including literacy providers, do research as part of their everyday work. Think about these scenarios.

  • An adult educator reflects on a lesson she has just presented. She knows she could improve it next time around, so she reads some articles or books on the topic. She is doing research.
  • People who collect the oral histories of elders are researching the cultural traditions of a specific group of people.
  • A family literacy provider who goes online to find age appropriate activities for a family literacy event is doing research.

Why is research important?

Research is important because it provides us with information that helps us understand topics in more depth. Research into literacy, language and learning is important for an organization like the NWT Literacy Council, especially here in the Northwest Territories, for several reasons. It helps us to understand the complex language and literacy environment we live in. It also helps us to provide programs and services that are appropriate for the people we work with.

How does the NWT Literacy Council support research?

The NWT Literacy Council sometimes conducts its own research, usually with partner organizations like Aurora College, or the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, or an Aboriginal group, for example. It also monitors research in the fields of literacy, language and learning in Canada and throughout the world.

Current NWT Literacy Council Research Projects

Museum Exhibit: Pihuaqtiuyugut: We are the long distance walkers.

The Ulukhaktok Literacies Research Project (Phase 1)
This research project is a joint project among the community of Ulukhaktok, the NWT Literacy Council and the University of Lethbridge. Phase 1 of this project, which was just recently completed, examined literacy (in its broadest sense) in the community of Ulukhaktok, NWT from an indigenous perspective. The model of literacy that predominates in institutions in Ulukhaktok is not the model that predominates in everyday life. Literacy in the community develops in two ways: through practice, as a result of lived experience; and through narrative. Thus community literacies cannot be described without examining the context in which they exist.

The Ulukhaktok Literacies Research Project (Phase 2)
This phase of the research project is a visual repatriation project that includes the community of Ulukhaktok, the NWT Literacy Council and the University of Lethbridge, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, the Kitikmeot Heritage Centre and the British Museum. This visual repatriation project will bring home historical photographs and photographs of historical objects in the British Museum Inuinnait collection. This is a way for Inuinnait to reconnect with the social memory and stories embedded in the materials. It will also look at how knowledge is formed, circulated and transmitted across generations.

Non-Academic Outcomes among Adult Literacy Learners
This research project recognizes that non-academic outcomes, like increased self-esteem, increased confidence, or a more positive attitude to learning for example, are often ignored in formal assessment of learners or in program outcomes.  This project explores non-academic outcomes among current and former adult literacy learners in three ALBE programs in the NWT. Learners are asked to tell the story of their learning journey highlighting their achievements. These will then be compared to their instructors’ perceptions of their achievements.

Reframing Training and Support through Technology
This project examines how the NWT Literacy Council can make effective use of new technologies to enhance the training and support we offer to literacy providers. The project includes identifying the needs of people who work in the field of  literacy, as well as exploring tools like video streaming, blogs, online conferences and social networking, for example.

Past NWT Literacy Council Research Projects

Making a Case for Literacy: The State of Adult Literacy and Adult Basic Education in the NWT
In 2000, the NWT Literacy Council commissioned a report on adult literacy in the NWT. The report looked at: the state of adult literacy in the NWT; literacy legislation, policy and programs; and the costs and benefits of investing in literacy. It also made some recommendations to improve support for adult literacy.

Languages of the Land: A Resource Manual for Aboriginal Language Activists  
This research report serves as a resource manual for individuals and community groups interested in Aboriginal language development work. The manual:

  • Provides background information on language development issues and the status of Aboriginal languages in the NWT.
  • Shares strategies for community-based planning for language development activities and projects.
  • Provides information on resources that support Aboriginal language work.

Multiple Literacies: Improving our Support for Aboriginal Literacy in the NWT
This research project (in 2002) was designed to improve the NWT Literacy Council’s support for Aboriginal languages in the NWT. It contains background information on the importance of language, as well as the current status of Aboriginal languages in Canada and the NWT. It looks at efforts to support languages. Finally, it reports on suggestions the NWT Aboriginal language communities had for the Literacy Council.

Seniors’ Literacy in the NWT
This research project was intended to help people better understand the literacy needs of seniors in the NWT. It makes recommendations for better and more relevant literacy supports and services for NWT seniors. It also includes community case studies of two NWT communities – Inuvik and Fort Resolution.

Relevant Articles

The Restorying of Aboriginal Literacy, Eileen Antone & Tonia Cordoba
The authors believe it is essential to view Aboriginal adult literacy as a “distinct philosophy for learning.” They suggest the need for a wholistic approach to re-storying Aboriginal adult literacy. http://www.literacyjournal.ca/literacies/6-2005/pdf/antone+cordoba.pdf

Webpages with multiple research articles

The Canadian Council on Learning has supported a number of research projects over the last few years. You can find their research reports on their website. http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Home/index.htm?Language=EN

Literacies is a national research forum that promotes writing in research in practice across Canada. Articles and discussions include university-based researchers, program-based researchers, policy-makers and program workers. http://www.literacyjournal.ca/index.html

The research webpage on the Nunavut Literacy Council website describes original research the Council is presently involved in. The page also has a number of articles in plain language with links to the original articles. http://www.nunavutliteracy.ca/english/research/research.htm

The National Adult Literacy Database, or NALD, is a digital library. In the area of research it provides complete, full text documents and books, as well as a resource catalogue. It also researches and organizes educational material found elsewhere on the Web. http://www.nald.ca/index.htm

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