Necessary conditions to implement innovation in remote networked schools - The stakeholders’ perceptions

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by SANS

Remote Networked Schools (RNS) is a Quebec Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports initiative exploring how information and communication technologies (ICT) can preserve and enrich learning in small rural schools. The implementation of RNS mobilizes local innovation capacity across stakeholders to improve learning outcomes. Grounded in Donald P. Ely’s work, the study investigates stakeholders’ perceptions of the key conditions that facilitate successful educational technology innovation in their communities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Theoretical Framework

Necessary conditions to implement innovation in remote networked schools: The stakeholders’ perceptions Sand ri ne Turcotte Christine Hamel Authors Sand ri ne Turcotte is a Ph. D. candidate at McGill University . Correspondence regarding this article can be sent to : sand ri ne .turcotte@mcgill.ca Christine Hamel is a Ph. D. candidate at Universit é Laval. Abstract: Remote Networked Schools ( RNS) is an initiative by the Quebec Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports ( MELS) to investigate solutions that the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) can offer for the preservation of small rural schools in Quebec, Canada . The implementation of RNS mobilized then – as it still does now – the local capacity for innovation of all the stakeholders involved in this networking effort to improve learning. Building on Donald P. Ely ’s work (1990; 1999) , this paper presents the results of an investigation of t he RNS educational stakeholders ’ perceptions of t he importance of the conditions that facilitate the implementation of educational technology innovations for the success of RNS in their locations . Les conditions né cessaires à l’implantation de l’innovation de l' École élo igné e en ré seau: la perception des intervenants Ré sumé : L’ École élo igné e en ré seau est une initiative du Ministè re de l’ Éducation, du Lois ir et du Sport du Québec ( MELS) , qui a comme objectif d’explorer ce que l’usage des technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC ) peut offrir pour la sauvegarde des petites é coles rurales au Québec, Canada . L'implantation de l’ École élo igné e en ré seaua mobilis é ( et continue aujourd’hui) la capacit é locale, pour l’innovation, de tous les intervenants impliqué s dans cet effort de mise en ré seau pour améliorer l’apprentissage . Partant des recherches de Donald P. Ely (1990; 1999) , ce texte pré sente les ré sultatsd’une étude sur la perception des intervenants impliqué s dans l’ École élo igné e en ré seau, quant à l’importance des conditions facilitant l’implantation d’innovations technologiquesafin que cela soit un succè s dans leur communauté . Introduction Remote Networked Schools ( RNS) is an initiative by the Quebec Ministry of Education to investigate the solutions that the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) could offer to preserve and enrich the learning environment of small rural schools (less than 100 students) in Quebec, Canada . These small rural schools face many problems caused by a decreasing clientele, among which poor access to resources ( specialized services to students) and people (teacher professional development and student interactions) . One of the objectives of RNS is to experiment and document the innovation process of networking (large bandwidth) small schools with a videoconferencing tool and an electronic forum. Networking activities take various forms depending on the stakeholders : for example, school principals form a community of practice that speak regularly to exchange ideas and challenges associated with their responsibilities as RNS leaders . Teachers from different schools use a videoconferencing tool to plan future online activities for their students . RECIT and pedagogical consultants make themselves available online to teachers to discuss collaborative activities using the new tools . The research and intervention team is also available online all day to help teachers and students use the tools to support learning. Overall, this systemic initiative requires the collaboration and commitment of all the stakeholders from the school board to the school and the local community to universities and political instances . After two years of experimentation with three pilot remote schools ( Phase 1 : 2002 2004) , RNS later included 13 pilot remote schools that each had at least two partner schools to interact with. The Ministry selected pilot schools based on isolation and low socioeconomic st

FAQs

What is the goal of Remote Networked Schools (RNS) in Quebec?

RNS aims to investigate solutions using ICT to preserve and enrich the learning environment of small rural schools in Quebec.

What kinds of stakeholders are involved in RNS?

RNS focuses on four stakeholder groups: teachers, school management (principals), pedagogical consultants, and RECIT resource people supporting student competency development with ICT.

What does the study analyze about ICT innovation in RNS?

The study presents results on stakeholders’ perceptions of the importance of conditions that enable the implementation of educational technology innovations for RNS success in their locations.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by SANS