Course:LIBR559B/Digital divide and youth
Welcome to "the digital divide", a massive topic that applies to people of all ages, demographics, and regions. To narrow this topic down a bit, we're going to look at issues regarding connectivity in particular. To bring in a global and cross-cultural context, we will also be looking at how the digital divide is being addressed in other parts of the globe.
Please go through the two reports just below, and consider reading "Wired for Social Justice" (located under the US section) to stir the inner-activist in you.
Canadian statistics, reports, and news bits
Please go through this report for a general overview of different dimensions of "the Digital Divide" within Canada:
Please also peruse the key findings from this research project:
Young Canadians in a Wired World (YCWW)
The Digital Divide in Canada 2002 Statistics Canada report (warning: lots of graphs and numbers)
First Nations
First Nations Seeking to Cross Digital Divide brief Georgia Straight article
Rural Setting:
Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians
Community Access Program (CAP) funding has been in the news very recently. It was thought that it was being cut , but the federal government says it isn't...how do statistics that say the majority of Canadians are connected affect those who aren't?
No internet a quick illustration of how swiftly one may lose connectivity
Vancouver:
freegeek a wonderful volunteer-run non-profit
Poverty
Digital Divide in Computer Access and Use between Poor and Non-Poor Youth (article not in entirety at this particular link)
US
Wired for Social Justice a highly recommended read. This is a call-to-arms January 2010 speech from the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council's Broadband and Social Justice Summit.
Digital Media and the Generation Gap: Qualitative research on US teens and their parents
e-rate program FCC funding program for schools and libraries
- Rethinking the E-Rate pros and cons of the program from a library perspective
(note: funding dependent on 'software requirements' = internet filtering requirement)
- CIPA compliance checklist e-rate funding eligibility under the Child Internet Protection Act
NCTA Proposes Adoption Plus Program a pilot-program to promote bandwidth adoption in low-income households with middle-school aged children. Includes digital literacy education and discounted computers and laptops.
New Report Finds libraries help close Digital Divide 2004 ALA news article review of "Toward Equality of Access: The Role of Public Libraries in Addressing the Digital Divide", a report by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Global initiatives
Wizzy digital courier a South Africa program
- Seeking Riches from the Poor 2004 Wired article summarizing Wizzy digital courier
eGranary Digital Library an offline digital library project (click cancel if prompted for web authorization and you'll get through)
People First Network Radio email for the Solomon Islands short article on the development of email access in a rural setting
Mozambique Bridging the Gap following the link after this program summary provides a somewhat brief example of a project's objectives and deliverables
Global Libraries - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
one laptop per child (OLPC)
- OLPC works with teachers 1:1 computing enhances learning?
- The $100 laptop--is it a wind-up? Africa skeptics
- HRD rubbishes MIT's laptop scheme for kids OLPC critique from India (quick news story)
- Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child 17min TedTalk by the founder of OLPC