CS 324 CCE across the Digital Divide David Laverell Keith Vander Linden

© Keith Vander Linden, Overview ● The Course ● The Digital Divide ● Logistics

© Keith Vander Linden, The Digital Divide ● This term was first popularized by Larry Irving in the mid-1990s. ● It refers to differences between social and racial groups with respect Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ● This issue has broad social, economic, political and religious ramifications.

© Keith Vander Linden, Dimensions of the Digital Divide ● The digital divide has several dimensions. ● It can distinguish groups based on: – access to computers and/or the internet – level of ICT literacy ● The groups it distinguishes include: – Economic groups – Geographic groups – Racial groups – Gender groups – Age groups

© Keith Vander Linden, Who really cares? ● How bad is the digital divide really? ● Do we really need to bridge it? ● What good can we do anyway?

© Keith Vander Linden, ICT Hardware for the Masses ● Moore’s “law” has tended to bring more power, but not necessarily lower prices. ● There are some efforts to address this: – OLPC’s XO-1 laptop project – Intel’s World Ahead project ● Most organizations are looking into this.

© Keith Vander Linden, ICT Literacy for the Masses ● ICT fluency is fundamental. ● Connect students will learn the concepts, skills and issues required to: – Set up and administer a personal computer – Connect to the Internet – Use the web and electronic mail – Protect the integrity of their machine ● Helpdesk service is also important.

© Keith Vander Linden, Cross-Cultural “Literacy” ● Cross-cultural fluency is also fundamental. ● CS 324 should enable Calvin students to: – Understand the nature of the digital divide and what effect it has on underprivileged groups – Articulate how to help bridge the digital divide – Develop a limited but personal relationship with members of an underprivileged group – Gain a better understanding of themselves and their own culture

© Keith Vander Linden, Hidden Rules Among Classes POVERTYMIDDLE CLASSWEALTH POSSESSIONSPeople.Things.One-of -a-kind objects, legacies, pedigrees. MONEYTo be used, spent.To be managed.To be conserved, invested. PERSONALITYIs for entertainment. Sense of humor is highly valued. Is for acquisition and stability. Achievement is highly valued. Is for connections. Financial, political, social connections are highly valued. SOCIAL EMPHASISSocial inclusion of people he/she likes. Emphasis is on self-governance and self-sufficiency. Emphasis is on social exclusion. FOODKey question: Did you have enough? Quantity important. Key question: Did you like it? Quality Important. Key question: Was it presented well? Presentation important. CLOTHINGClothing valued for individual style and expression of personality. Clothing valued for its quality and acceptance into norm of middle class. Label important. Clothing valued for its artistic sense and expression. Designer important. TIMEPresent most important. Decisions made for moment based on feelings or survival. Future most important. Decisions made against future ramifications; Traditions and history, most important. Decisions mode partially on basis of tradition and decorum. EDUCATIONValued and revered as abstract but not as reality. Crucial for climbing success ladder and making money. Necessary tradition for making and maintaining connections. DESTINYBelieves in fate. Cannot do much to mitigate chance. Believes in choice. Can change future with good choices now. Noblesse oblige. LANGUAGECasual register. Language is about survival. Formal register. Language is about negotiation. Formal register. Language is about networking. FAMILY STRUCTURETends to be matriarchal.Tends to be patriarchal.Depends on who has money. WORLD VIEWSees world in terms of local settingSees world in terms of notional setting. Sees world in terms of international view. LOVELove and acceptance conditional based upon whether individual is liked. Love and acceptance conditional and based largely upon achievement. Love and acceptance conditional and related to social standing and connections. DRIVING FORCESSurvival, relationships, entertainment.Work, achievement.Financial, political, social connections. HUMORAbout people and sex.About situations.About social faux pas. Source: Ruby Payne, A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Highlands, TX: aha! Process, Inc., 1996, pp

© Keith Vander Linden, Project Connect Demographics YearTotalWhite African- AmericanHispanicAsian total% % % % %1553.6%621.4%414.3% %1445.2%1135.5%39.7% %1150.0%627.3%00.0% 2004* %1352.0%624.0%00.0% 2003* %937.5%9 00.0% 2002* % *These are rough estimates.