By KELLY LOUISEIZE
If all goes according to plans, Cambrian College’s eDome will receive $1.6 million for instructional equipment supplied through financial contributions from federal, provincial and private sectors, and will be operational by early summer.
The federal government through FedNor has given $500,000, while Domtar Inc. has provided $300,000 toward the cost of equipment in the eDome. The college has also received $25,000 from Canadian Institute for Mining. However, they have not been formally approved for $409,000 from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. Negotiations with other private businesses that have shown an interest in the facility are still ongoing, says Ivan Filion, executive director of research technology and advanced learning at Cambrian College.
“We will use the money to purchase audio and video equipment as well as other equipment like web casting servers,” Filion says.
It will probably take six to eight weeks to install all the equipment and technology. However, Filion is hoping to have a June opening.
Through this technology and equipment, lessons can be broadcast over the Internet to off-campus students and to private industries where employees can be honed or trained through virtual online computer instruction.
“Employers of industries can update employees without having to leave the work sight,” Filion says.
Other examples of the eDome’s capabilities is found in equipment demonstrations.
For example, if a mining company is interested in a particular mining machine they could link into the eDome where demonstrations on the equipment are occurring in real time, without computer visual or audio delays, with access to a question and answer period, Filion says. Once it is open, Domtar will have the first dibs in the room, since they were one of the first parties to contribute to the facility, Filion says.
“We have scheduled some pilot projects with Domtar.”
The eDome was scheduled to open in January of this year, however, financial funding slowed the process, Filion says.
Companies had to decide whether there was any value for them to contribute financially to the facility, Filion says.
“To start educating online requires them to review their own corporate strategy.”
Tenders are being evaluated for the installation of the equipment.
“Everything is in preparation mode and we are looking through the tenders as we speak.”
