Cisco Launches Connected North to Enhance Education and Healthcare Services in Remote Northern Communities

IQALUIT, NU and TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - Apr 2, 2014) - The Government of Nunavut today joined Cisco Canada for the official launch of Connected North. The Connected North program delivers immersive and interactive education and healthcare services to remote and northern Aboriginal and Inuit communities through high-definition two-way video communication and collaboration technology. The program represents a $1.6 million investment by Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) in Canada's North.

A successful pilot phase in education was initiated in September 2013. Utilizing prioritized satellite bandwidth donated by SSi Micro, grade 6, 7 and 8 classrooms in Iqaluit's Aqsarniit Ilinniarvik have been connected in real-time with teachers, experts and other students throughout Canada, for a more engaging, diverse and dynamic classroom experience. Following today's announcement, two additional schools -- the Deh Gah School in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories, and John Arnalukjuak High School in Arviat, Nunavut -- will be joining the program in September 2014.

Connected North was designed to showcase innovations in the field of learning with the aim of encouraging students to attend class regularly. The virtual education program utilizes Cisco TelePresence® and Partners In Research's (PIR) successful VROC (Virtual Researcher on Call) platform.

Students in Iqaluit are benefitting from directly engaging with subject matter experts brought into the classroom through two-way video, for interactive sessions lasting up to 40 minutes. Students also connect with peers of the same age throughout Canada as part of the program's Classroom Connect component, to share rich educational and cultural experiences. In a study conducted by York University, on the impact of the program, preliminary research results show that both teachers and students view the program positively. A majority (89%) of students reported that the remote learning experience made science more enjoyable and 81% said they felt they learned more in the virtual sessions than they did through traditional classroom learning. The focus of the program is to provide a fresh approach to learning, allowing teachers and administrators to expose their students to new people, experiences and ideas.