Written by Tania Lyon, Ed.D.
Date: May 15, 2026
Access and opportunity are often treated as interchangeable in education, yet they function differently in practice. Expanding access brings students into learning experiences—but connection is what brings those experiences to life.
As Michael Furdyk, Co-founder and Director of Innovation at TakingITGlobal, notes, “Across distances that once limited opportunity, Connected North brings learning to life through real conversations and real relationships.”
The difference shows up in design. Strong models invite participation, center relevance, and build experiences that students respond to with curiosity and energy.
Connected North, a program of TakingITGlobal—co-founded by Furdyk and Jennifer Corriero—puts this into practice at scale, delivering live, interactive learning experiences grounded in cultural relevance and supported through strong coordination with educators. The program connects students in remote and Indigenous communities with experts, role models, and content providers through live sessions designed to expand access to meaningful and relevant learning.
Design for Engagement Through Active Learning
At its core, the model prioritizes live, interactive learning. Sessions use inquiry-based, participatory approaches and center real-time dialogue between students and content providers.
This model goes beyond participation to active ownership of learning. When students are engaged—asking questions, seeing themselves reflected, and connecting learning to their own lives—the experience begins to shift.
As Furdyk adds, “When students see themselves reflected, ask their own questions, and connect with new possibilities, education shifts from something they receive to something they actively shape.”
Classrooms come alive with energy—students respond, ask questions, and engage with curiosity and enthusiasm.
Insights and teacher perspectives in this section are drawn from an independent evaluation conducted by Carleton University’s Public Policy and Program Evaluation team.
“When students are reciprocating with conversation and answering questions, and all jumping up and all trying to get to answer questions and we’re having to shut our classroom door because our noise level is so high…It’s because they’re engaged. I think that is a testament to the whole Program.” — Teacher Interviewee
This model treats engagement as a core design principle, building participation, interaction, and responsiveness into every experience.
Center Cultural Relevance to Strengthen Connection
Connected North centers Indigenous voices, knowledge holders, and role models in its programming.
Students see their identities, communities, and lived experiences reflected in the learning experience—an essential element in Indigenous education contexts. Learning experiences like these act as mirrors, reflecting students’ identities and affirming their sense of belonging. They also open windows into new ideas, perspectives, and ways of living beyond their immediate experience.
More than half of sessions feature Indigenous role models, strengthening representation and deepening connection for students.
“We don’t want to share something that’s not ours to share, and we don’t want to be going into the area of cultural appropriation at all…and Connected North has certainly supported us in being able to center Indigenous voices.” — Teacher Interviewee
Engagement deepens when learning reflects identity. When students recognize themselves in the experience, they participate more fully and connect more deeply.
Build Systems That Enable Scale
A critical component of the model is the level of support provided to educators.
Teachers describe strong coordination, flexibility, and hands-on assistance from planning through live session delivery. Sustaining this level of engagement at scale is uncommon—and depends on deliberate design, relationships, and operational support.
Scalable programs rely on more than content. They depend on systems that enable consistent delivery across diverse and dynamic environments.
Measure Impact Through Contribution
A defining strength of Connected North’s model is the rigor of its evaluation.
An independent study conducted by Carleton University used a Contribution Analysis approach—an evaluation method designed for complex systems like education, where multiple factors shape outcomes over time. The evaluation focuses on how the program contributes to outcomes such as student engagement, confidence, and long-term success.
In complex systems, contribution offers a more meaningful way to understand impact. The findings show consistent improvements across short- and medium-term indicators, alongside strong alignment with research-based practices.
Deliver Scale With Consistency
The model operates at a meaningful scale.
Across hundreds of schools and tens of thousands of students, Connected North delivers thousands of live, interactive sessions each year. In a single year, more than 37,000 students and 1,300 educators participated in over 7,700 sessions, reflecting both reach and sustained engagement.
The data highlights both reach and consistency—an uncommon combination at scale. This model sustains quality while expanding access across diverse communities. The program continues to grow, with early implementation now extending into Alaska.
Apply Principles That Drive Meaningful Impact
Connected North reflects a broader shift in how impactful educational programs are designed and evaluated.
Several principles shape this shift:
- Engagement drives learning through active participation
- Cultural relevance strengthens connection and identity
- Measurement approaches reflect the complexity of real-world systems
Educators consistently report strong outcomes, with more than 90% noting increased student engagement, curiosity, and connection to learning.
This model aligns with how funders and system leaders increasingly define meaningful, scalable impact. It demonstrates how high-quality, live, interactive learning can expand access while sustaining depth, relevance, and engagement.
Extend Impact Through Partnership
Models like Connected North demonstrate the importance of creating mirrors—learning experiences where students see themselves reflected.
Through partnership, there is an opportunity to expand the windows—bringing in additional voices, perspectives, and experiences that broaden what students can see and imagine.
In Part II of our Connected North feature, we’ll explore what becomes possible through partnerships with Connected North.