Notes from Digital Inclusion Conference
A Community Agenda for Economic, Education & Civic Equity
At University of Minnesota - December 6, 2010
Kit Hadley
General literacy/social isolation as well as digital literacy
(governor/hardware)
Next steps on this issue:
David Keyes:
Seattle's digital inclusion programs
Communities Connect Network
Alliance for Community Media
Cities Technology indicators
Keynote speaker:
sisters who live here in MSP
back next summer
Work that is happening at the federal level
How people communicated this morning
Walk into room and see which platforms people are on
best way to communicate with each other
where people fall on the digital inclusion curve
impacts & barriers to adoption
Digital inclusion
goal of equity in access literacy & meaningful content
Broadband deployment & adoption – how fast is necessary (personal, global sending data, hospital)
anchor institutions: ex. Community colleges, libraries & people – gov't funded as well as other institutions
Community technology
strategy, programs & service (public radio, community radio, telecenters, community technology centers) 'reaching kids we need to reach'
State broadband mapping
most states have grants for this
stimulus grants
broadband plans
some communities doing more intensive work than others
Sustainable broadband
public computing centers
National Broadband Plan -
Adoption & Utilization (is a part of the plan)
National Working group IMLS
digital literacy portal
FCC
(plan...how does it actually get implemented)
FCC: universal service – rural people getting phone service – what about internet?
E-rate: discounts for schools & libraries
spectrum
net neutrality
telecom vs. information service (how to classify)
economy is shrinking (is a problem)
rapid product & service deployment (things change daily)
Washington state – has state law for access, literacy & content
for residents, businesses & NGO's (non profits need access too)
he juggles & tries to get everyone to repeat what he says
access: ease of use, using access point, end user hardware & software, persons w/ disability being able to afford, tech support – computer hosed... destroying access
literacy: skills require to use internet
meaningful content & services: city hat: making sure people can get to neighborhood planning process or benefits on line – is the content presented in way that is appropriate to audience – gets to ppl where they need to go/ enabling of creating content/production – being able to publish / kids 'staying safe vs. buying a gun'
web browser:
seeing someone caring about neighborhood business district
seeing local neighborhood on browser (or seeing google/yahoo)
content – realestate as front door
Gov – public health & safety (H1N1) – burglars & safe streets
Schools – engaged parents – help kids use school district website
business – future employees & quality of life (microsoft/amazon, etc)
neighborhood & small biz: buy local
(impression: the domain of cities is big yet small)
technologically health community:
engage local economy, further educational opportunities, solve social issues, civic participation, sustainable quality of life, equitable & affordable.
“ICT” - more about communicating back & forth
who builds the access plan:
residents, neighborhoods, business & tech professional sector, education, government, heath & human services, faith, culture
tech. Professionals who 'want to volunteer' *
technology folks talking to all the other ppl – bring tech expertise to help solve problems
SEO for mexican restaurants...kids at tech center put menus online (example)
human services...
confused, disabled, youth, immigrant, unemployed, seniors, business (people who need 'help')
it training, connectivity enrichment...
Community Tech Director/Planner (established 13 years ago)
Tech Matching Fund (volunteer board)
(who in MSP is responsible for planning)?
Get online day (help people get on the web) – what it takes to buy a laptop, google translate etc. education
Brainstorm (monthly newsletter)
Neighborhoods on the Net (twitter accounts from the different neighborhoods)
Public computer center directory
Puget Sound Off .org (youth civic engagement project)
Justice IT Project – what are race & social justice implications – most IT tools created by white males – including diverse audiences in the planning
(Univ of Washing/ YMCA – city officials see that website – teaching ppl from east africa how to blog)
Access to Justice Bill of Rights – basic things state justice system should look into
Benefits portal
State council on digital inclusion
state grant program
capacity building for community tech programs.
communitiesconnect.org
improve evaluation
distribute surplus laptops – able to say who needs refurbished laptop – get laptop after job training
lat/afr-am least likely to buy products & services online (means less likely to pay for service online like parking ticket)
afr-am more likely to participate in community, but not online (what does it mean to translate participation culture to online culture)
asian/pac islander & afr-am less likely to look for health info online
narrowing gap on social networking – how effectively – and can this be used for digital inclusion initiative (using FB & texting announcements about classes) -
evaluate – 'no data no data'
microsoft chart: technology careers
basic competencies
ramp – students being able to do homework effectively, apply for college...
basic IT survival... for school/job, civic & cultural engagement, for IT career, to be leader/inventor
employment education, social inclusion & self-sufficiency
translator/interpreter for parents
getting better job through online (helps rest of family)
1.3million visits to computer labs in Washington state
97,000 people (visit 14 times...)
www.cis.washington.edu
Digital Inclusion (Univ of Wash)
US impact study – libraries around the country
effective digital inclusion – civic mashup – effective insion [?] – not just using tech for dialogue, but also for answers
ex. chinatown – handhelds w/ seniors – identifying street problems – trash bins – community report meeting – bring in city to talk about findings – posted online – presented on web & in storefronts
trash containers – seniors couldn't lift lids..neighborhood cleanup & switch bins – online/offline
(look this up)
bilingual online job seeker handbook
everyone is busy
my.everything – personalize for everything (personal data)
mobility of platform & place – not just at centers but also while on the go
service of – TEXT4BABY – text messages for pregnant moms/dads – tips on health
text suggestions.
Listen in on web programming class even if you can't leave house... (?)
rapid evolution & multiple integrated services – tweet/fb – boxbe, dropbox, flashvolunteer)
lots of video – all linked
trusted ambassadors
place & community hasn't disappeared
(text message making you more succinct)
walk through story in 3d (ugh, second life)
digital strategies:
respond to community need (assess it)
reinvest tech revenue – banking reinvestment – part of cable dollars – for non-profits -
other models – state owned cell towers -
build & use policy
gather data & map resources
leverage human, institutional & capital – ex. Credit for volunteer time.
Open learning & tools – collect tools & curriculum – bring together in 1 spot
IT equity assessment
evaluate, reassess & adapt
hello – do portals even matter??!!
'Barbie Camp'
Video camera in barbie's chest
“Video Girl”
what happens –
(weird)
Catherine Settanni
BTOP
U of M 2.9 million grant: increase broadband adoption rates in the home
1/3 population would still not be online even if everyone had internet – there is more to it (besides access & affordability)
lack of good data
census or 'empowerment zone data'
ken nelson – digital divide initiative
* northside 26% have computer, 18% have internet access (important to consider when moving gov't services online)
requiring assistant of others
FCC broadband report – good to see in print that washington understands this.
Human element of support in centers is important*
Americorp 'community technology & empowerment' – local americorps
Kevin Kalla
was americorps
SPNN (neighborhood network)
youth programs coordinator:
youth inter program & a tv show (documentary making)
Abdulahi Farah
PPL – Somali work readiness – teach soft skills & basic computer skills
Jennifer Vanek
teacher for SP public school, adult basic ed & internet learning 'learner web' – making content for one of the BTOP grants
Bill Rappel
computers for youth – improving home learning environment & parent involvement
Tamara Gillard – minnesota computers for schools
shows a video
technology just a tool
training days at schools where machines are distribute
'computers for youth'
draws a lot more people than PTA meetings
4 hour trainings – put computer together, surf internet, use educational software on the computer
educational software for kids
kids & parents working together is appealing for the parents
computer in home more creative, more writing & typing & more research – much better work after having computer – learning more things on computer at home.
80% students reporting computer at home helps them do better in school
7th grade dip in writing
Jen Vanek
public schools & libraries & community based organizations
literacy historical...
HUB center – 1000 people everyday, 1400 unique learners every week
east of lexington on univ – designed to be a tech center for adult learners. *
adult learns reach short term goals – wired classrooms, workshops (MS office, keyboarding, computer turning on) – studying english, GED, post secondary training, become citizens.
['learners 'need to get' to technological fluency ??]
Julia – VISTA member
training other teachers to be good online teachers
'project ideal' – prof dev for online learning for adult basic ed.
Policy people: need – education technology plan released by Obama – recentering access to internet based – just in time PLE for individuals – recreating what you need-- travel info, transit – motivated to access it. – all content instruction in that way *
They have Windows 2000
help learners catch up with us
funding to embed digital literacy in EsL/ citizen ship & another one (ppl need to start right away)
a lot more funding for prof development – teachers need to learn it – they still have some floppy disks
federal money comes from the department of labor – State of MN matches 5:1 – MN recognizes that skill training is a key to competitiveness – is economic justice & community quality of life.
Re-hone & focus on digital literacy skills of the workforce.
Abdulahi Farah
communitiesconnect PPL
young people create flyers (when he came as an instructor)
tables in Word & a few advanced things
30 minutes...teaching how to hold the mouse & where to click – changed his perspective.
Medical records, distance learning, immigrant survival in a new place, job searches – applying online
new immigrants who have never had a job
someone who lost job after 20 years and have to learn how to look now
need more than tools& access
how to get online – what is windows, turning things on/off
ex. friend who works at walmart – apply online – how to do it – tell kids to do it...
PPL is an employment center & learning lab
Best Practices there:
learning center: - computer lab open to community – computer integrated with all activities.
Intake process
orientation to computer lab
knowing how to use computer is part of your ability to look for job
giving self-sufficiency skills
1 on 1 support in lab at all times
person can show websites, show how to apply – ex. Drop down menus
8-4pm – 5 days a week
computer basic 1 (turn on/off – what's hardware/software, keyboarding),
2 (Word basic – job searching topics integrated – make a resume - bold/underline),
3
electronic health records – hospitals – 16 hours training in this
somali work readiness class – basic computer, soft skills, work readiness, ELL
Kevin Kalla
video presentation
teen produced show
youth programs department St. paul neighborhood network
“Set it up”
ST Paul high-schoolers make documentary
Youth media & digital inclusion
internet, computers, video equipment & education
support & education around the tool
digital inclusion can lead to civic engagement
important for youth to engage with communities
(solitary acts is not always the case)
digital technologies can help connect more with neighbors.
How digital inclusion can increase civic engagement
work with st paul high schools 3 days a week, all year (a lot of time)
discussion of community issues is a big part of it
'past/present/future'
student made presentation about her experience immigrating from liberia
another youth made media about gang violence in east st. paul
youth intern program -
students captured stories in st paul
media goes 'on channels' – screenings at community centers, online -
pieces used by other organizations (ex. Homeless advocacy use, college readiness program)
impact on youth – they survey them before/after – and students say they feel more connected to their communities
ex. youth making media about LGBT youth & hoping that it has an impact