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Sarah Bell, Literacy KC’s Digital Inclusion Fellow, pictured with the other 21 Digital Inclusion Fellows throughout the country.
I just returned from a week-long orientation in Portland, Oregon for Year 2 of the national Digital Inclusion Fellowship, where we, the 22 Fellows, heard from experts in the field of digital inclusion and learned best practices for designing and implementing digital literacy programs. Literacy KC was chosen for the second consecutive year to host one of only 22 Digital Inclusion Fellows across the country. This Fellowship, funded by Google Fiber, places Fellows in host organizations in 11 cities to address how to bridge the digital divide: helping individuals who are not digitally connected, whether that means access to quality Internet, a working and relevant device, or the skills and knowledge to use technology.
From my work with digital inclusion the past 6 months, I have seen the importance of including digital skills and training in our conversations about literacy. Our 21st-century society is technology-driven, which means having internet access and digital skills is a necessity, not merely a luxury. For our students to fully participate in economic and educational opportunities, digital literacy needs to be part of what we offer and teach. Literacy KC has made this an organizational priority, emphasizing that digital is one of the facets of literacy, and it is also starting to be part of discussions on a national level.
These national discussions about incorporating digital training into adult literacy curriculum is important because our students need access to all aspects of educational and economic participation. As you can see from the chart below, more and more people are recognizing the importance of having home broadband, especially within the context of career opportunities and learning.
With so many things going online today–including job applications, healthcare, school updates, government forms, etc.–it is becoming vitally important that we bridge this digital divide so that no one gets left behind. This includes our students at Literacy KC. As I look ahead to the upcoming year, I am focusing my attention on four areas. My first goal is to better integrate digital skills and training into all aspects of our programming. This primarily includes our Ticket to Read curriculum, making digital skills an integral part of what we teach in the classroom. I will also be providing some specific digital skills training, based on feedback and input from students to ensure we are offering what they need and want. In order to offer a wide array of classes and assistance to our students, I will be developing a Train-the-Trainer program, where I will train volunteers to help carry out these digital programs. Literacy KC could not run without our awesome volunteers, and I am confident I will be able to grow our digital program because of our eager and helpful volunteers. Finally, I will be building our external partnerships within the context of digital inclusion. This will be on both a local scale, with our KC Digital Inclusion Coalition, and on a national scale, in both the context of general digital inclusion initiatives and with adult literacy specifically.
Want to get involved with Literacy KC? Visit literacykc.org or call (816)333-9332 or email Sarah Bell at sbell@literacykc.org
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