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Conference Papers and Proceedings To read or download, click on the link in the reference. Publication #48 2012, December - How women in remote and rural First Nation communities are using information and communication technologies Abstract: First Nations women have a strong role guiding the success of their family and their community. In the past,women nurtured their family, ensuring food and safety for their family. These responsibilities are still true today with the added challenges and opportunities of modern day life. After elementary school, many First Nations children living in remote and rural communities move to urban areas for high school education, and with the adoption of information and communication technologies(ICT) there are sometimes fewer community interactions as people stay at home more instead of meeting in person. The study explored how First Nations women are using ICT and if the technology can address some of their challenges and open up new opportunities. Two hundred and thirty one women living in remote and rural First Nation communities in Northern Ontario completed an online survey, sharing their thoughts and experiences with regard to: ICT use in daily life, ICT for health and wellness, ICT for cultural preservation, and what is needed to support their effective use of ICT. The findings suggest that the women are active users of ICT, using the internet for frequent communication with people living in their own communities along with other communities and elsewhere in Canada. The women are also familiar with telemedicine, use the internet in a variety of ways to preserve their culture, and identified many strategies for supporting their effective use of ICT. Recommendations for ways forward are discussed. This paper was revised and published as journal article #57. |
First Nations Innovation - Publications
