Digital Inclusion | Net Literacy

In the UK, Digital Champions are at the center of One Digital and are delivering sustainable digital skills to people right across society.

Posted on November 11, 2016November 11, 2016 by Daniel Kent

The Digital Champion Network

The Digital Champions Network (DCN) is a unique and comprehensive online platform that provides Digital Champion training and a support community for people who go through that training.

Shared with housing providers, local authorities and other regional and national organisations it is successfully turning hundreds of volunteers into Digital Champions who can provide effective digital skills support.

With courses, resources and forums specifically designed to develop the critical skills needed for a successful Digital Champion, the DCN is a unique and low-cost way to help people to get and stay online.The Digital Champions Network (DCN) is a supported online solution to create, train and support Digital Champions in your community. Click on the image below to view the info-graphic.

What are Basic Digital Skills?

Basic Digital Skills have been defined by digital skills charity Go ON UK in consultation with a range of expert organisations. Basic Digital Skills empower the individual to use digital technologies to: manage information; communicate; transact; problem solve, and, create.

Why is it important to have Basic Digital Skills?

Today’s world is a digital world and those without the skills to participate in it are disadvantaged. Over 12 million people (around 1 in 5 UK adults) don’t have basic digital skills (Go ON) and as a result they have less opportunity to realise the individual, social, economic and health related benefits that having digital skills provides.

It has been estimated that the annual social value of every individual getting online for the first time is £1,064 (BT Valuing Digital Inclusion, 2014). The ability for individuals to use digital also results in them:

Having more confidence.
Making financial savings online.
Feeling less bored.
Having more opportunities to pursue hobbies.
Developing new job-seeking skills.
Reducing their social isolation.

What is a Digital Champion?

Digital Champions are people, such as staff, volunteers, friends and family members, who already interact with those who need better digital skills. Digital Champions are not technical wizards but have passion and confidence with using digital technology and a willingness to help others.

What difference can a Digital Champion make to helping people online?

When there is an existing relationship between a potential Digital Champion and an end beneficiary, there is an opportunity to add digital skills support into it. That digital skills support – whether it is signposting, advice or hands on tuition – is much more impactful because it is relevant and personalised for that engaged individual. Digital Champions can also provide accessible and regular support, giving that long term help that many internet beginners need.

This One Digital infographic shows exactly how Digital Champions can make a difference.

How are the Digital Champions being trained and supported?

At the heart of One Digital, is Digital Unite’s Digital Champions Network, an e-learning platform and support network. It provides courses, resources and Mentor support to hone and develop personal skills and the essential teaching techniques. It is also the central area where data about Champion and end learner activities is collated. Digital Champions also receive Mozilla Open Badges, the emerging online approach to professional verification, for every course they complete. Open Badges are shareable and transferable and Digital Champions can use them on CVs and on LinkedIn as a recognition of the skills and aptitudes they have gained via the Network

Getting in touch:

If you would like to know more about the One Digital programme and its partners please contact Emma Weston, One Digital Programme Director and Chief Executive of Digital Unite at [email protected].

If you are interested in becoming a Digital Champion please email [email protected] or call 0800 228 9272.

For all media enquiries about One Digital please contact Katharine Teed, Communications Manager at Digital Unite [email protected] / 0800 228 9272.

Haiti Net Literacy has built an international ecosystem to increase access to information technology, promote computer literacy, and uses solar energy to help power the technology.

Posted on November 11, 2016November 11, 2016 by Daniel Kent

Haiti Net Literacy

Haiti Net Literacy (HNL) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2012 by educators, social advocates, community leaders, to promote computer literacy in Haiti. Two years after the major earthquake that whacked Haiti, a group of Haitians and their fellows from the United States and Canada found out that Haiti had the lowest computer literacy rate in the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, they noticed the enthusiasm and eagerness of Haitians from all walks of life to acquire a wide range of computer skills and digital literacy; they decided to create this organization to address this pressing issue rooted in the lack of access to computer all over Haiti.

Haiti Net Literacy works with communities all over Haiti to facilitate computer access and digital literacy. While HNL aims to provide computer literacy to Haitians of all walks of life, its top priorities include impoverished communities in urban and rural areas. Unlike most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 60 percent of the Haitian population still lives in rural areas. That’s why this organization has made rural Haiti a priority in its computer literacy program. Moreover, HNL also targets Haitian immigrants and Dominican natives living in vulnerable communities in the Dominican Republic.
Specifically, HNL works with rural and poor urban communities where access information technology is non-existent. In the areas it intervenes, this organization provides its technical assistances to

Municipalities
Local government administrations
Public/municipal schools
Not-for-profit school
Community organizations
Communities in rural and urban settings
Local nonprofit organizations

As this computer literacy project is in its initial phase, HNL has been working with four local governments and community leaders in five areas in Haiti

Arcahaie (west)
Belladère (Centre)
Verrettes (Artibonite)
Port-Salut (South)
Mole Saint-Nicolas (west)

The computer literacty program HNL is implementing in these areas consists of providing these “partners” with technical assistance to establish the kind of organization and come up with resources required to receive computer equipment and ensure the delivery of the computer literacy program in their respective jurisdiction.

Access to Information Technology
Haiti Net Literacy is committed to gathering the resources required so all Haitians across Haiti can have access to laptop computers and accessories. For logistical reasons and energy efficiency in Haiti, HNL has opted for all-in-one desktops and laptops that individuals, schools, communities, municipalities and local government entities can easily maintained.

HNL relies on individual donors, philanthropic foundations, International nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and international development aid agencies, business organizations and a large pool of volunteers to support this computer literacy endeavor in Haiti and beyond.

Computer Literacy
This organization is primarily focused on providing the beneficiaries with the tools needed to acquire a wide range of computer skills overtime. HNL developed a comprehensive computer literacy curriculum that is open for change so it can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of individuals and whole communities. This curriculum was designed with all leaners in mind, regardless of their learning styles, abilities, and age group.

Solar energy
Having sufficient energy available is a requirement to power up the computers and other electronic devices. According the Ministry of Public Works, only 25 percent of the Haitian population has access to electricity in Haiti’s major cities. Currently, in most towns in Haiti, particularly in the rural areas, the communities do not receive any electricity from the national power grid. Those who can afford it use alternative sources of energy: Kerosene lamps and lanterns, gas-powered generators, solar and wind energy. With such a high rate of power shortage all over Haiti, there is only one option: green energy.

While both wind and solar power can generate green energy all over the Island, Haiti Net Literacy has favored solar power systems for its efficiency, low maintenance requirements, and portability. In this context, HNL aims to install solar energy systems to power up computer labs everywhere in Haiti and beyond.

Haiti Net Literacy is not in the business of giving away computers or providing digital literacy to communities or organizations randomly. On the contrary, this organization aims to empower the recipients so they can take ownership of the computer literacy program within their communities and beyond. In addition, the recipient organizations or communities that Haiti Net Literacy helps acquire any kind of IT resources have to show they have developed the capacity to ensure the maintenance of the materials and sustain the overall computer literacy program within their environment.

For computer/digital equipment and other material resources you want to send us for the Computer Literacy Project, you may ship them to our mailing address in Florida or Massachusetts. In case you are unable to cover the shipping fee, Haiti Net Literacy will pay for it. Please send your donation(s) to our mailing addresses.

14218 Holly Pond Ct. Orlando, Florida 32824 Phone(s): 407-558-3383		11 Harvey Street Easthampton, MA 01027 Phone(s): 407-558-3383

	[email protected] [email protected]

Gov.uk: A checklist for digital inclusion – if we do these things, we’re doing digital inclusion

Posted on November 10, 2016November 10, 2016 by Daniel Kent

Or visit this link directly: https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/01/13/a-checklist-for-digital-inclusion-if-we-do-these-things-were-doing-digital-inclusion/

As with most of our work at the Government Digital Service, we release things early for review and comment. The digital inclusion team, set up last year,would like to share and get your feedback on an alpha version of a checklist for digital inclusion.

We first mentioned a set of principles (we’re now calling it a checklist) when we published action 15 of the Government Digital Strategy. Over the last three months, this checklist has been developed in collaboration with partners from across government, private, voluntary and public sectors.

The intention is for the checklist to act as a guide for any organisation involved in helping people go online. In other words, if you do these things, you’re doing digital inclusion. Alongside each of the six checklist items, we have included an illustrative example of what works and a potential action that could be included in the upcoming digital inclusion strategy.

Checklist Overview

1. Start with user needs – not our own
2. Improve access – stop making things difficult
3. Motivate people – find something they care about
4. Keep it safe – build trust
5. Work with others – don’t do it alone
6. Focus on wider outcomes – measure performance

We want to hear from you

We are looking for feedback on the checklist from organisations and individuals who are involved in helping people, small businesses and small charities go online. We are keen to hear other examples from you that illustrate great digital inclusion in action. We also want to know what actions we should be taking. Like those we have identified from the examples here, please let us know what you would do.

Net Literacy, the Mary Riggs Community Center, and IPS Work to Donate an Additional 1050 Computers

Posted on March 6, 2016October 7, 2016 by Daniel Kent

Net Literacy, Mary Riggs Community Center, and IPS are working to distribute computers repurposed at Broad Ripple Magnet High School to the families of K12 IPS students and to afterschool programs that support IPS.

“Liz Odel,” said Daniel Kent, “has been leading the charge in facilitating the distribution of computers to dozens of IPS schools.” According to Kent, IPS families have received more than 200 computers last month and 100 have been staged to be transported by IPS Transportation to North West High School. In total, IPS families and afterschool programs have received more than 18,000 computers.

“I’m really pleased that we are able to donate higher end computers to the K12 families,” Kent said. “All of the PCs are dual core machines with 2 to 4 Gig of Ram. They have plenty of horsepower for students to use them to complete their homework Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations.” Included on the computers is Open Office, and other applications that help students take advantage of their computers for school work.

For more information, email me at danielkent(at)netliteracy.org

Harshman Middle School Uses Net Literacy Computers to Make STEM Learning Real World and Relevant!

Posted on January 27, 2016October 11, 2016 by Daniel Kent

Students in Ms. Caren Lettofsky’s computer science classes, at Indianapolis Public School’s Harshman Middle School, learn about computers by reassemble their own computer.

First, Ms. Lettofsky first has the students build a virtual computer, using a website created by Cisco. This site walks students through various steps to build a desktop computer. This part of the website gives hints and guidance as to what to do. Once the students has completed this part of the website, the students then move to the next phase of the website and build the computer without any added help. Ms. Lettofsky also has the students complete a worksheet where the students must explain, in their own words, what the various parts of a computer does.

Learning then becomes very real for the students. Students, in teams of two, work on computers provided by Net Literacy. First, each team completely disassembles the computer. Then the hard work begins as each team reassembles their computer.

When each team believes they have reassembled the computer correctly, the team presents the reassembled computer to Ms. Lettofsky. The computer is then connected to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor and powered on to make certain that it was correctly reassembled and properly works!

Finally, then the hard work begins as each team reassembles their computer and presents the reassembled computer to Ms. Lettofsky to make certain that it was correctly reassembled and properly works! Now for some of the students, here’s the best part!

Students whose family doesn’t have a computer at home gets to take the computer they just reassembled (together with a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and cables) home! Students can now use their computer for homework and learning. This is very important because students with a computer at home are 7% more likely to graduate from high school.

Quotes:

“It’s fun!” – J. D.

“I couldn’t believe it when my computer worked! I didn’t think I could do it.” – J. G.

“He’s been talking about this all week! He hasn’t been this excited about school for years!” – Grandfather of R. S.

“I really love seeing the kids go from ‘I can’t’ or ‘This is too hard” to ‘Look what I did!!’ It’s a real confidence booster!” – Ms. Lettofsky

Click on the link letters to Net Lit to read the students’ thank you notes to us!

Net Literacy congratulates Harshman Middle School and Ms. Caren Lettofsky for teaching in an innovative and engaging real world manner!

Lone Eagle Consulting’s “People Ready” Broadband Entrepreneurship and Digital Literacy Curriculum

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Daniel Kent

One size does not fit all and Lone Eagle Consulting helps provide online training for rural remote, at-risk, and indigenous learners. We especially liked this focus on indigenous learners and wanted to share the following:

The Self-directed Digital Literacy Training and Resource Guide for All Learners

Lone Eagle Online Courses

Community Training Resources

Social Media Training Resources

For additional information, please visit: http://lone-eagles.com/guides.htm

Spring Online: A Great Opportunity to bridge the Digital Divide!

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Elliott Williams

Social housing providers are being urged to engage in “one of the nation’s biggest digital inclusion campaigns”.

The Government-backed Spring Online with Silver Surfers’ Day – delivered by Digital Unite in partnership with UK Online Centres and Race Online 2012 – is one of the biggest campaigns each year to give older people and less confident users a taste of computers and the internet.

The campaign – which has been going for 11 years – has helped more than 150,000 people get more out of life online.

Social housing providers are being urged to play their part to help residents get a taste of computers and the internet during Spring Online from 23-27 April.

Digital Unite’s mission is to promote and explain the benefits of technology. They have been in operation since 1996 and currently offer an online community and free online content to help those new to the internet learn more about its incredible applications.

Emma Solomon, Managing Director of Digital Unite, says: “Access to computers and the internet can enhance people’s health and wellbeing – and open up whole new worlds. If you know your way round a computer why not volunteer to show someone else how to do it? Often, all people need is someone to get them started, show them the basics and make it fun. Holding a Spring Online session can really help.”

See the original article: http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2012-03-05-Landlords-have-role-in-one-of-the-nations-biggest-digital-inclusion-campaigns

More information on Digital Unite: http://digitalunite.com/about-us

And Spring Online (Apr 23-27, 2012): http://springonline.org/

Public Policy Framework Helps Provide Direction for Libraries Regarding Digital Inclusion

Posted on March 1, 2012March 1, 2012 by Daniel Kent

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, the University of Washington Information School, and the International City/County Management Association have developed a comprehensive framework to help libraries identify, evaluate, and improve services regarding digital inclusion and digital literacy. More and more individuals without computer access at home are turning to libraries as a conduit to access the Internet.

The document, “Building Digitally Inclusive Communities,” is the product of over 100 organizations’ comments and ideas. The document highlights five important principles: Availability and affordability, public access, accessibility for people with disabilities, adoption and digital literacy, and consumer education and protection.

The document provides high-level guidance to furthering the digital inclusion discussion in local communities and directs readers to additional helpful resources.

View the document at: http://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/DIC-FrameworkGuide.pdf or read more about it at: http://www.nlc.org/news-center/nations-cities-weekly/articles/2011/july/new-icma-resource-facilitates-digital-inclusion-in-local-libraries

NGO WebOrganic Benefits from new Google Datacenter in Hong Kong

Posted on February 3, 2012February 28, 2012 by Elliott Williams

Google will inject US$300 million as a long-term investment in its Hong Kong datacenter that will go live in early 2013, said the company after the ground breaking ceremony in Tsueng Kwan O Industrial Estate last week.

The company said it will also launch a community program in Hong Kong to provide annual grants ranging from US$5000 to US$50,000 to organizations that focus on the issues such as technology literacy and innovation, renewable energy innovation, and new economy entrepreneurship.

To get this effort started, Google is making a grant of USD50,000 to Hong Kong-based NGO WebOrganic to support their efforts in providing affordable laptops and digital literacy programs to underprivileged children in Hong Kong, the company added.

WebOrganic’s main focus is to promote eLearning to the underprivileged and give those people that were formerly without access to the internet. The company regularly teams up with organizations in the Hong Kong area to further these goals. It also provides technical support for internet problems for the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society and supports training and mentorship programs for the YMCA and other groups. The company supports an impressive 150,000 students from lower income families.

Google launched a website on the facility at http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/hong-kong, where people can ask the firm questions and find more information on the project, and job opportunities, the firm noted.

See the original article: http://www.pcworld.com/article/245982/google_invests_300_million_in_hong_kong_datacenter.html

Read more about WebOrganic: http://www.weborganic.hk/EN/node/6

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