Presentation for IAMCR 2010.

1. 1
Implementing e-inclusion in Flanders:
going beyond access?
A critical analysis of e-inclusion initiatives and their ability
to improve multiple digital literacies
Ilse Mariën
Chris Vleugels
Stijn Bannier
Leo Van Audenhove

2. 2
Research Framework
 Desk research on evolution digital divide
 Skills & usage
 Social networks
 Lifestyle and life stages
  Do government and civil society undertake actions in line with
current complexities and changes of today’s digital divide?
 Inventory of existing e-inclusion initiatives in Flanders
 Modus operandi
 Pedagogical approach
 Embedding
 Brainstorm with stakeholders
  Gain insight in digital divide second degree
  Develop policy recommendations to improve e-
inclusion

3. 3
Increased complexity of digital exclusion
 More than
 Access
 Dichotomous conceptualizations
 Socio-demographic characteristics
 Reconsideration of traditional barriers
 Material & mental access
 Usage  context of use
 Skills  digital literacies
 Other important indicators
 Cognitive skills – Knowledge gap – Learning divide
 Resources - Social / economic / cultural capital
 Added value / meaning of ICT
 Content & quality of access & usage
  digital exclusion beyond disadvantaged groups

4. 4
Modus Operandi
 No top-down policy
 Emergence of wide range of bottom-up initiatives
 Most provide access + training  14% only access
 87% Computer + Internet training
 Computer only  elderly people
 52% fixed location
 89% free access to computer spaces
 41% free access to training
 87% open to all public – 60% additional effort to reach
disadvantaged groups

5. 5
Modus Operandi
 Usage opportunities
 Computer – nearly free choice
 Games in 83% of cases
 Internet – more restricted
 Download forbidden in 50% of cases
 Focus training
 Very divers
 Computer – mostly operational issues + Word
 Internet – mostly Google
 Less – practical issues: SW & HW installation,
updates, burn CDs, …

6. 6
Pedagogical approach
 75% demand & offer driven
 57% focus on follow-up training
 64% proper learning material – mostly custom made
 Coaching in more than 90%
 Ca. 15% volunteers without additional training
 Ca. 30% volunteers with additional training
 Computer spaces : 20% professional teachers
 Library staff, education workers, …
 Extensive focus on operational & formal skills
 Less on strategic skills
 Risks & opportunities of internet
 Privacy online in 63%
 Spam in 40%
 Sexually tainted material / illegal content in 41%

7. 7
Embedding in social structures
 Extensive collaboration
 49% has 1-3 partners
 29% more than 10 partners
 Provided support
 Hardware – 39%
 Financial – 35% - local & regional government
 Infrastructure – 37%
 Efforts to reach disadvantaged groups – 34%
 Trainer-trainer support – 15%
 Learning materials – 19%
 Only 9% not reliant on external funding

8. Positive aspects
 Personalized coaching
 Demand driven approach
 Small groups – low pace – custom made
learning material
 Increases motivation
 Enhances take up of use + further training
 Overcomes traditional learning barriers
 Lack of confidence
 Low self-esteem
 Reluctance towards formal education
8

9. Positive aspects
 Embedding in existing structures
 Overcomes social network barriers
 Problems of lack of confidence
 Limited social networks
 Low self-esteem
 Lack of ICT-knowledge in personal social
network
 Requires extensive collaboration at local
level
9

10. Conclusion
 Flemish organizations developed a well-
suited approach to digital inclusion
 Starting from existing social networks
 Specific pedagogical approach
 By which disadvantaged groups are reached
 Strategic use of ICT???
 However, problems & bottlenecks exist
 Coaching
 Technical issues
 Custom made approach
 Financing
10

11. 11
Contact
 Ilse Mariën
 IBBT SMIT Vrije Universiteit Brussel
 VUB – Department Communication Sciences
 Pleinlaan 9, 1050 Brussels
 Phd Digital divide – Digital literacy
 www.ilsemarien.com
 Ilse.marien@vub.ac.be
 +32 496 28.24.88
 Leo Van Audenhove
 Leo.van.audenhove@vub.ac.be
 +32 2 629.24.15