Foundation Journal

In conversations with employees of Metropolitan Community College (MCC) over the past few months I learned that Federal grants used to build and resource Public Computer Centers in the area will dry up, and no funds to replace the grants have been identified. These centers not only provide a classroom setting for residents to learn computer and job-search skills, but also a mobile training facility for organizations serving people without reliable transportation. MCC devised a digital literacy series which includes Computer Basics, Internet and E-mail, Computer Security and Privacy, Social Media, Microsoft Office software, Digital Devices and Career Opportunities. The centers also provided technology certification training used by students to boost skills and opportunities for high-demand jobs in information technology. In three months from January through March 2013 2,723 participants took one of the classes, amounting to over 15,000 classroom hours, though mainly in the certific...

In an effort to bridge the "digital divide" Metropolitan Community Colleges and Harvesters have teamed up to provide a series of free classes on basic computer concepts. These classes provide a digital literacy framework for individuals in the area, focusing on basic computer skills, Microsoft Office, job searching and social media networking. The next class on Social Media Basics will be held August 14, 2013 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Harvesters food bank, 3801 Topping Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri. For more information contact Matt Quinn via email mquinn [at] harvesters [dot] org or call 816-929-3030.

Pioneer Campus Public Computer Center located at 2700 E. 18 Street, Kansas City, MO (photo credit: Metropolitan Community College) I was curious to see what the facilities were like that housed the new Public Computer Center at the Pioneer Campus of the Metropolitan Community College on Kansas City's East Side. After all, the expansion of computer centers was publically-funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide computer access and training for anyone that wants to use the computers. This means community college students or anyone can use the computers after registering online or at the site. The registration allows administrators to track compliance with computer-use policies, but I did not interpret this as a limitation on people using the computers. Mario and Dale, lab technicians at the computer center, shared how the centers provide a full curriculum of free training classes from basic training to Microsoft Office to social media to iTun...

About 100 people at the downtown Kansas City public library on Thursday, November 29 heard KCK mayor Joe Reardon and Kansas City Missouri mayor Sly James announce a new "Starter Internet" service offering by Time Warner. The low-cost service offering will provide families in nine school districts -- up to 85,000 students -- with a $10 per month 5 megabit per second Internet connection. James stated the "affordable option will allow them to compete in school" and that the joint effort could allow "every single student in this area to get a quality education." Extending Internet access to low-income families could "help bridge the digital divide," James added. The offering allows customers who relocate in the city to retain their Internet offering. Time Warner also announced that 14 locations throughout the city such as the River Market will gain "free" wifi hotspots for Time Warner customers. KCK high schools have provided each stu...

This video from the Al Jazeera English news outlet describes the boom in social media use in Brazil, but more importantly describes how one community replaced a prison with a community center with public computer access. The news report not only shared how Brazilians are very active because of the communication capabilities of new media like Twitter and Facebook, but also showed how the public computer centers address the digital divide in that country where poor people lack access.

I recently listened to a presentation on how to evaluate the costs and benefits to a public computer center program by a representative of the Colorado state library system. The expansive program has created 81 centers with public computers throughout the state with 5 full-time employees to maintain the program, including training for computer users. The program provides access to 450 desktop computers, 700 laptops, and has offered training for 10,000 computer users. An example of one of Colorado's public computer centers. While the presentation was focused on helping organizations track and evaluate their public computer  programs, they revealed a tremendously helpful resource for low-income community members. A successful public computer center provides easy computer access and skills training, which is what the Colorado program set out to accomplish. Their focus is computer skills, workforce and employment services, as well as health education and English as a ...