History

The IT for Dominica Project originated in the fall of the year 2000 as Dr. Gordon Campbell (Professor Emeritus, University of Lethbridge) sought educational computers on behalf of the Prime Minister’s office in the Commonwealth of Dominica. Following several conversations with the Commonwealth of Dominica, a partnership was formed with the Ministry of Education in Dominica. This partnership extended across both corporate and public entities in several ensuing years.  The project was founded upon a partnership principle – namely that it takes a coordinated team of Dominicans and Canadians working diligently to provide the intended services. Generous teacher and technical volunteers have worked ongoing, both on the island and off the island, to provide professional development, technical training, computing resources, networking resources and systems.

Starting in 2000, Dr. Maurice Hollingsworth has worked closely with the Ministry of Education in Dominica and supporting Canadian partners in the interest of supporting IT in education for students in schools on the island. Through generous donations, talented volunteers, and a willingness to share, this project continued to serve a role over many years for students and educators in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

In 2018, following Hurricane Maria which caused widespread devastation and destroyed learning technologies in schools on the island, a committed group of former summer institute volunteers was compelled to do more. The IT for Dominica project became the IT for Dominica Foundation, a registered non-profit corporation in Alberta with a board of directors committed to taking action and working to restore learning technologies in schools on the island. 
Funds and resources within the project have been contributed by the Alberta Teachers’ Association, corporate donations, ATA Local #19, and numerous educational organizations. Until Hurricane Maria, the project progressively focused more on professional development needs, as the partnership needs and support structures shifted. In the two years post-Maria we worked with the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East, the Rotary Club of Portsmouth Dominica and the Bracebridge (Ontario) Rotary Club to secure a Rotary International Global Grant which made it possible to source and ship thousands of learning technologies and associated technical equipment as well as send a team to install them in more than 60 schools island-wide.
Key Activities - 2001 to 2025
  • Through the keen interest of Dominican educators and volunteer work by Alberta teachers, almost 1000 Dominican teachers have learned about various aspects of technology integration through the IT for Dominica Summer Institute program.
  • Our summer institute which started in 2001 has offered two weeks of free professional development almost every year focused on using learning technologies in the classroom, to teachers on the island.   During the pandemic (2020, 2021 and 2022) we offered our summer institute courses online, returning to an in person format in 2023.
  • Numerous Alberta educators have voluntarily dedicated part of their summer to teaching about integrating information technology into classrooms as part of the IT for Dominica Summer Institute.
  • Spin-off activities have included University of Lethbridge graduate and undergraduate students learning in Dominica as part of their practicum experiences.
  • More than 4000 computers have been delivered to schools on the island in addition to networking equipment, printers, projectors, and other technical resources.
  • In 2019 and 2020 almost every primary school and many secondary schools on the island were provided with computers at a device to student ratio of one to three.  Each building was networked with the installation of switches and wireless access points by our Canadian team working with the ICT team from the Ministry of Education. Ongoing technical training as well as professional development for teachers was provided to support learning with these new technologies. 

PROGRESSION OF ACTIVITIES​

  • 2024

    • Our building capacity group, which involves a dedicated cohort of teachers on the island, continues to work with our board member facilitators Tammy Davis and Janet Bell, moving forward with the development of plans to support the integration of technology in their classrooms and schools.
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute 2024
    Project Participants
    - Darren Maltais (Lead Teacher)
    - Kara Aitkin
    - Janet Bell
    - Michael Chell

  • 2023

    • Our building capacity group, which includes more than 40 teachers on the island, continues to work with our board member facilitators Tammy Davis and Janet Bell developing plans for moving the integration of technology forward in their classrooms and schools.
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute 2023
    Project Participants
    - Kara Aitkin (Lead Teacher)
    - Robyn Calvert
    - Merry Franz
    - Darren Maltais

  • 2022

    • Chromebooks for teachers initiative provides more than 40 teachers with devices.
    • Building Capacity Project is initiated with more than 40 teachers in Dominica working with IT for Dominica facilitators Janet Bell and Tammy Davis.
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Henry Schellenberg (Lead Teacher)
    - Kara Aitkin
    - Robyn Calvert
    - Michael Chell
    - Kevin McBeath

  • 2021

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    • More than 100 teachers from Dominica attend the ATLE Convergence 2021 Conference
    Project Participants
    - Tammy Davis - Summer Institute Lead
    - Merry Franz
    - Paige Duplessie
    - Michael Chell
    - Henry Schellenberg

  • 2020

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    • November/December- Installation of wireless networks and Chromebooks in more than 30 additional schools by the Ministry of Education ICT team
    • More than 100 teachers from Dominica attend the ATLE Convergence 2020 Conference
    Project Participants
    - Natalie Doucette - Summer Institute Lead
    - Janet Bell
    - Corazon Durand
    - George Graffunder
    - Robyn Kumish

  • 2019

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    • November - Installation of wireless networks and Chromebooks in 24 schools and at the Dominica Association of Teachers by Rotary/IT for Dominica/Ministry of Education ICT team
    Project Participants
    - Ben Swen - Summer Institute Lead
    - Natalie Doucette
    - Matteo Hee
    - Corazon Durand
    - Natanya Kinsey

  • 2018

    • For the first time since 2002 there was no IT for Dominica Summer Institute due to recovery from Hurricane Maria.

  • 2017

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Shelley Friesen - Summer Institute Lead
    - Darlene Hubber
    - Emma Lenz
    - Corazon Durand
    - Heather Williams

  • 2016

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Nicole French-Gillies - Summer Institute Lead
    - Caryn Swark
    - Chris Young
    - Abigail Durand

  • 2015

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute & Planning with the Dominican Ministry of Education
    Project Participants
    - Karin Goble - Summer Institute Lead
    - Ben Swen
    - Darin Larson
    - Corazon Durand
    - Travis Dingle

  • 2014

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Bev Knutson-Shaw - Summer Institute Lead
    - Jennifer Cowie
    - Nicole French Gillies
    - Corazon Durand

  • 2013

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Darlene Hubber - Summer Institute Lead
    - R'achelle Prud'Homme
    - Shelley Friesen
    - Corazon Durand
    - Alison Hancox

  • 2012

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Bev Knutson-Shaw - Summer Institute Lead
    - Darlene Hubber
    - Shelley Friesen
    - Corazon Durand
    - Joni Turville

  • 2011

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Rocky Wilson - Summer Institute Lead
    - Karin Goble
    - Rachel Elliot
    - Bev Knutson-Shaw

  • 2010

    • Placement of four University of Lethbridge Graduate Students as part of their Master’s Degree Internship Program in IT Leadership
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Jen Deyenberg - Summer Institute Lead
    - Rocky Wilson

  • 2009

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Paul Forestell- Summer Institute Lead
    - Jen Deyenberg

  • 2008

    • Placement of University of Lethbridge advanced practicum student for four months
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Jen Deyenberg - Summer Institute Lead
    - Paul Forestell

  • 2007

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Lucy Johnson- Summer Institute Lead
    - Lorraine Kirk

  • 2006

    • Installation of over 200 computers and 20 networks with connection to the Internet
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Dan Ryder - Summer Institute Lead
    - Lucy Johnson

  • 2005

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Maurice Hollingsworth - Summer Institute Lead
    - Dan Ryder

  • 2004

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    Project Participants
    - Rob Cowie - Summer Institute Lead
    - Joan Boras
    - Lynn Cowie
    - Andrea Klassen

  • 2003

    • Installation of 100 computers, networks, and Internet connections where possible
    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute
    • IT for Dominica hosts Mr. Abraham Durand to share Dominican culture and learn of IT in Education approaches in Canada
    Project Participants
    - Maurice Hollingsworth - Summer Institute Lead
    - Rob Cowie
    - Lynn Cowie
    - Brian Hood

  • 2002

    • Planning and organizing

  • 2001

    • IT for Dominica Summer Institute and installation of a school network
    Project Participants
    - Maurice Hollingsworth - Summer Institute Lead
    - Brian Hood
Proudly powered by Weebly