Sowing Seeds: Promoting Digital Inclusion Through Public Engagement

Wolske, Martin; Houston, Brant; Dempsey, Pam; Rhinesmith, Colin; Olea, Geovani; Carr, Imani; Barton, Karen

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/42596 Copy

Description

Title

Sowing Seeds: Promoting Digital Inclusion Through Public Engagement

Author(s)

• Wolske, Martin
• Houston, Brant
• Dempsey, Pam
• Rhinesmith, Colin
• Olea, Geovani
• Carr, Imani
• Barton, Karen

Issue Date

2013-02-28

Keyword(s)

• digital inclusion
• digital literacy
• public engagement

Abstract

The Center for Digital Inclusion (CDI) at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) is part of a two-decade-long history of community engagement around technology, from Prairienet (founded 1993), to the Community Networking Initiative (CNI), and then the Community Informatics Initiative, which has now been folded into CDI. The Sowing Seeds project seeks to expand upon this public engagement tradition by providing support to faculty, students, and staff to promote digital inclusion for social and economic development in underserved neighborhoods in Champaign, Urbana, Danville and East St. Louis, Illinois. In partnership with Brant Houston, Department of Journalism, and Pam Dempsey, CU Citizen Access, the Sowing Seeds project is helping to develop innovative approaches to building inclusive digital communities through digital and media literacy training. Students from a Community Informatics Studio course have been designing new approaches to literacy training, while the training is being delivered by neighborhood resident Community Ambassadors placed at public computing centers located within partner sites. Engagement is occurring with long-term community partners including directors and staff at Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House in East St. Louis; The Urbana Free Library; Salt & Light, which provides a food pantry and clothing closet to meet the immediate physical needs of families with limited financial resources in Champaign; and a community center located within the Shadow Wood mobile home park neighborhood in North Champaign. The work is funded in part by a Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Eliminate the Digital Divide program.

Type of Resource

text

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/42596

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Owning Collections