The Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC) supports Indigenous communities in Manitoba, Canada, as they take control of their education systems. Committed to empowering these communities with modern educational tools, MFNERC plays a key role in their self-governance.
Challenges
Before adopting ClassLink, MFNERC faced several obstacles. Access to digital resources was inconsistent, particularly in remote communities. Managing digital tool licenses was inefficient, and maintaining accurate student accounts was time-consuming. Additionally, the centre lacked insight into how effectively digital resources were being used and had concerns about the security of sensitive student data.
MFNERC needed a solution to simplify access to digital resources, enhance resource management, and ensure data security while addressing the unique challenges of supporting remote Indigenous communities.
Solutions
ClassLink provided MFNERC with a comprehensive suite of tools that revamped their digital infrastructure, supporting their move toward a more self-sufficient education system. Through ClassLink’s LaunchPad, students gained secure, streamlined access to educational resources via a single sign-on platform.
The introduction of Roster Server simplified student rostering and enabled MFNERC to allocate licenses more efficiently. MFNERC E-Learning Systems Administrator Tyler Porznak, highlighted, "Roster Server is seamless. It is secure and there’s no excess data going through."
DataGuard addressed critical data privacy concerns. "With ClassLink DataGuard, we’re able to encrypt the information that’s sent over to the third-party vendors so we don’t have to give them any more information than is needed," said Porznak. ClassLink’s Analytics tool offered MFNERC valuable insights into the usage of digital resources. Digital Learning Environment Manager Don Monkman explained, "We want to track the usage and make sure that products are being used and that it’s the best use of money."
Additionally, OneSync kept school licensing accurate and up-to-date. Monkman emphasized the importance of OneSync, stating, "OneSync’s very valuable for us because it gets us accurate data on a daily basis, which helps to keep our licensing accurate."
Results
With ClassLink’s solutions in place, MFNERC improved access to digital resources and enhanced the security of student data. Resource management became more efficient, enabling MFNERC to support Indigenous communities in their pursuit of educational independence and provide students with the tools they need to succeed in a modern learning environment.
"ClassLink has provided a lot of digital tools that our communities didn’t have allowing them to develop their own curriculum."