High speed internet access can be a powerful tool for communities. During this webinar we will explore some of the practical and potential uses of broadband in addressing issues of civic engagement,sustainability and economic growth. Any discussion of this topic must, however, look at ways to bridge the “digital divide”. In light of that fact, we’ll also look at Issues of access and digital literacy How creative can we be in creating inclusive engaging opportunities that make use of the potential of broadband technology?

1. Broadband- A tool for civic
engagement and sustainability?
March 24, 2009 Webinar
Paul Treadwell
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Distance Learning Consultant

2. What is Broadband
• High speed data transmission
• Always on connection
• Encompasses a variety of technologies:
▫ DSL
▫ Cable modem
▫ WiFi
▫ Broadband satellite

3. Why Broadband Matters
• High speed internet access can:
▫ Improve government efficiency and
communication
▫ Provide access to educational opportunities
▫ Engage citizens
▫ Facilitate better medical care
▫ Narrow the digital divide
▫ Expand employment opportunities
▫ Foster Innovation

4. Broadband and rural communities
• 38% rural homes have broadband
• 57% urban
• 60% suburban
• Other factors affecting access:
▫ Income
▫ Ease/prevalence of public access
▫ Digital literacy

5. The Digital Divide
• the gap between people with effective access to
digital and information technology and those
with very limited or no access at all.
• Is a kind of capability deprivation
▫ As the “world” moves online, those who aren’t are
excluded.
 Access to the benefits of an online world are
removed /denied

6. Why now
• Renewed interest and funding:
▫ National
 Presidents broadband stimulus funding
 $7+ Billion for broadband development
▫ New York State

7. The internet

8. The Civic Net

9. More than bandwidth or access
• The fuss about broadband, then, extends beyond
access to information to active participation in
the online commons
▫ Broadband: What’s All the Fuss About? Pew Internet and American Life Project

10. Marketplace and/or Commons
• 2 ways of viewing the internet
▫ Marketplace
 Access to goods
 Buying and selling
▫ Commons
 Access to ideas
 Interaction and exchange

11. How do you see broadband?
• What role can it play?

12. Broadband Enabled Services
• E-government
▫ Providing access to government information
▫ Providing space for engagement
• E-commerce
▫ Access to the global marketplace
• Technology training / digital literacy/ civic
literacy

13. Case study – Ontario county
• Ontario County e-government
▫ http://www.co.ontario.ny.us/
▫ Access to governmental information
▫ Online survey for community input

14. Case study – Blue Smoke
• E-Commerce
▫ Blue Smoke Salsa
 https://www.bluesmokesalsa.com/
 Case Study (pdf)

15. Case Study – Engaged Youth
• Civic learning
▫ Engaged Youth
 http://www.engagedyouth.org/

16. Case Study – Squeaky Wheel
• Digital/Media Literacy
▫ Squeaky Wheel
 http://www.squeaky.org/

17. Barriers to adoption
• Availability
• Cost
• Exclusion
▫ Literacy
• Security

18. Sustainable communities
• Broadband should be a component of a platform
for sustainability
▫ Connecting rural communities to the world
 Tele-work
 E-Commerce
 Flow of ideas
▫ Sustaining locality
 Online interactions focused on local issues
 Local government access

19. Civic participation
• Bringing it back home
▫ Tools for online engagement
 National Coalition for Dialog and Deliberation
 http://www.thataway.org/
 my.barackobama.com
 http://my.barackobama.com/
▫ National project connecting local participants

20. Education
• Broadband opens up a channel to media rich
educational opportunities
▫ MIT OpenCourseware
 http://ocw.mit.edu
▫ ScienceVideos
 http://sciencehack.com/
▫ Youtube
 Teachertube
 http://www.teachertube.com/

21. Opportunities
• Resurgence of funding opportunities creates a
space for innovative programming
• Current Extension programming
▫ National e-Commerce Extension Initiative
 http://srdc.msstate.edu/ecommerce/
▫ Connecting rural communities
▫ Others?

22. Innovating
• Digital literacy
 For community
 For educators
 Skills for an online world
• Community brainstorming
▫ Games to spark planning around technology
 Useful Games
 http://www.usefulgames.co.uk/

23. Appropriate Technology
• Defining “appropriate” relative to ICT
▫ Impacts on community
 The introduction of new technology and tools is a
debatable topic.
 How do we deliberate about technology?
 Mostly, we don’t
 Technology “happens”
 Is this the best approach?

24. The value of open networks
• “Strangely enough, digital technologies are
forcing us to recognize the power of the
collective and social” - David Bollier
▫ The Commons as a New Sector of Value-Creation
 http://www.onthecommons.org/content.php?id=18
13
• Open standards-Open source-Open networks

25. Resources
• Documents, sites and case studies referenced in
this presentation are available online at:
▫ http://ccedigitaldivide.pbwiki.com/March24Webi
nar

26. Contact
• Paul Treadwell
▫ Distance Learning Consultant
▫ Cornell Cooperative Extension
▫ 356 Roberts Hall
▫ Cornell University
▫ Ithaca, NY 14853
▫ pt36@cornell.edu
▫ http://treadwell.cce.cornell.edu/elearn