NEXT STEPS AFTER THE CONFERENCE: What's Happening And How You Can Get Involved
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Pierre Clark
Nov 2, 2010, 2:30:36 PM11/2/10
to pierre...@gmail.com
Here's what Jennifer Hunt wrote on the Facebook Digital Excellence Coalition Fan Page about the 1st Chicago Neighborhood Digital Excellence Conference And Technology Fair:
So that's why we at the CDAA are launching a working agenda, to be rolled out over the next 12 months, the purpose of which is to move to an actionable agenda many of the discussions held in the workshops and round-table discussions on Friday. As you read each of the planned working groups listed below, ask yourself three questions:
1. Which group (or groups) is working on topics or issues that I am interested in?
2. What group would I like to commit myself to working with on a regular basis?
3. What group would I like to occasionally host for a activity report-out, dinner meeting or implementation of an action item decided on by that group?
Here are the working groups we see as developing out of the Friday conversations:
Non-profit capacity building working group: the cloud-computing, web development and ctc/pcc development workshops sought to address the issues of capacity building among non-profit groups that need to better understand how to use web tools (cloud apps, social media, open source software) to advance their missions. This working group explores and develops strategies for how we can link resources (training and digital) to a capacity-building agenda for non-profits. (Coordinator; TBD)
CTC/PCC Development: The CTC/PCC Workshop was one of the dynamic workshops of the conference, as reps of four top CTCs talked about their work, how they establish their programs, and best practices. There's a clear need for more publicly accessible technology spaces and spaces that offer specialty access, such as digital media development, tech skills training, and PC Repair and recycling. There is a $9 million City of Chicago BTOP grant focused on tech capacity-building in libraries, but with only 77 libraries and at most another 100 such spaces in a city of 3 million, there is a clear need for more public tech spaces. Most of the CTC/PCCs are started and owned by community non-profits, most often run by volunteers. This working group is convened to create an action agenda to expand access to resources for these community non-profit CTCs and support their efforts to provide digital literacy capacity-building for residents. (Coordinator: TBD)
Neighborhood Broadband/Wimax Expansion. Not every neighborhood has Internet access and access to the highest speed connectivity. And access is priced out of the range of many residents. The City of Chicago has stated its intention to provide wi-fi access in five (5) communities. Some resident groups on the West Side and South Side have moved ahead with wi-fi networks and Wimax offers a compelling alternative. And groups are looking to create new service models like CLECs. This working group's focus is to support and create strategies for expanding low-cost or minimal-cost access in partnership with existing efforts. (Coordinator: TBD)
Digital Fluency Working Group. Improving the digital literacy and fluency of residents and creating a sustainable "culture of use" should be top priorities in a city that wants to be world-class digitally-empowered. There is a $7 million City of Chicago grant that is slated to provide training for 22,000 residents in five targeted communities.There are 77 Chicago communities with residents needing to develop digital literacy. This working group will help identify and create partnership among ctcs/pccs, public schools, public institutions, government agencies and foundations to expand digital literacy/fluency to residents of all 77 communities. (Coordinator TBD).
Connectivity Tools Capacity Building Working Group. Connectivity is the key to communications whether the tools are social media websites, web-based utilities, cell-phone utilities like SMS, or open source tools that are used in organizing, fundraising, cause marketing and issue awareness activities. Health care, education, and politics are just some of the fields being impacted. This working group will investigate, evaluate and leverage the connectivity tools that can keep us in touch within neighborhoods, communities and cities. (Coordinator: TBD).
Platform Independence Working Group. Should residents be stuck using one OS? Google wants you to standardize on Google apps, as Microsoft does on Windows. Cloud computing is taking over, and there are a variety of available tools. You don't have to use Windows Live, you can use Zoho, Google Apps or others for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. This working group will investigate and spread the word about all the available tools out there and provide connections to avenues for building capacity in using them. (Coordinator: TBD).
Open Data/Open Government Working Group. Proprietary data or data that is hard to access inhibits transparency and community empowerment, say the Open Data evangelists that champion open access to data and data structures. This working group will devise strategies for spreading and helping governments and data managers the benefits of Open Data and Open Government to local community residents. (Coordinator: TBD).
Tech/Vocational Skills Training Working Group. One in 14 jobs is tech-related and nearly all of them require tech skills. Yet few high schools or colleges in Chicago teach tech-related skills: programming, systems design, systems repair and troubleshooting, and the bulk of training resources for A+, INET+, MCSE/MCSD, CCNA/CCIA and other certifications come from non-educational institutions in Chicago like CTCs. This working group will create strategies for developing new avenues in Chicago neighborhoods for tech-skills based vocational training. (Coordinator: TBD).
All reports and activities of the working groups will be featured in the CDAA's online newsletter, Digital Excellence Update and on the websites http://www.digitalexcellence.net and http://www.digitalaccessalliance.org.
We would like working groups to meet at least once a quarter or preferably more. We can provide some meeting space at our office space at the Syncubator, 322 South Green, but we would also like the meetings to happen in neighborhoods, because the working groups will be the important linkage between the CDAA, neighborhood efforts, partnerships and other activities. All these efforts will help us move toward the goal of a Chicago with access and knowledge and resources for everyone regardless of income, race or geography.
There will be more news from us about programs and other initiatives we will be launching.
So let's keep the momentum going! Choose a group to work with, join it, and get involved! If you have questions, e-mail us: Pierre Clark, pierre...@gmail.com, Michael Maranda, m...@michaelmaranda.net, or Lowry Taylor, lowrys...@gmail.com.
All The Best,
Pierre A. Clark, Co-Founder
Chicago Digital Access Alliance Inc.
312-970-0249/312-473-0373
http://www.digitalexcellence.net
Thank you so very much for a wonderful conference! As someone brand new to the movement, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to such a wonderful community of experts, dreamers, activists, collaborators and stewards. I can't wait to get to work!
Our sentiments exactly! Because with all the warm feelings, information-sharing, camaraderie, good Italian food (and wasn't that pasta and caesar salad da bomb!) and energy that was in the conference space on Friday, if we don't get to work DOING something about the issues and conditions and opportunities in our communities that the conference was convened to address, then all that occurred Friday will ultimately be meaningless.So that's why we at the CDAA are launching a working agenda, to be rolled out over the next 12 months, the purpose of which is to move to an actionable agenda many of the discussions held in the workshops and round-table discussions on Friday. As you read each of the planned working groups listed below, ask yourself three questions:
1. Which group (or groups) is working on topics or issues that I am interested in?
2. What group would I like to commit myself to working with on a regular basis?
3. What group would I like to occasionally host for a activity report-out, dinner meeting or implementation of an action item decided on by that group?
Here are the working groups we see as developing out of the Friday conversations:
Non-profit capacity building working group: the cloud-computing, web development and ctc/pcc development workshops sought to address the issues of capacity building among non-profit groups that need to better understand how to use web tools (cloud apps, social media, open source software) to advance their missions. This working group explores and develops strategies for how we can link resources (training and digital) to a capacity-building agenda for non-profits. (Coordinator; TBD)
CTC/PCC Development: The CTC/PCC Workshop was one of the dynamic workshops of the conference, as reps of four top CTCs talked about their work, how they establish their programs, and best practices. There's a clear need for more publicly accessible technology spaces and spaces that offer specialty access, such as digital media development, tech skills training, and PC Repair and recycling. There is a $9 million City of Chicago BTOP grant focused on tech capacity-building in libraries, but with only 77 libraries and at most another 100 such spaces in a city of 3 million, there is a clear need for more public tech spaces. Most of the CTC/PCCs are started and owned by community non-profits, most often run by volunteers. This working group is convened to create an action agenda to expand access to resources for these community non-profit CTCs and support their efforts to provide digital literacy capacity-building for residents. (Coordinator: TBD)
Neighborhood Broadband/Wimax Expansion. Not every neighborhood has Internet access and access to the highest speed connectivity. And access is priced out of the range of many residents. The City of Chicago has stated its intention to provide wi-fi access in five (5) communities. Some resident groups on the West Side and South Side have moved ahead with wi-fi networks and Wimax offers a compelling alternative. And groups are looking to create new service models like CLECs. This working group's focus is to support and create strategies for expanding low-cost or minimal-cost access in partnership with existing efforts. (Coordinator: TBD)
Digital Fluency Working Group. Improving the digital literacy and fluency of residents and creating a sustainable "culture of use" should be top priorities in a city that wants to be world-class digitally-empowered. There is a $7 million City of Chicago grant that is slated to provide training for 22,000 residents in five targeted communities.There are 77 Chicago communities with residents needing to develop digital literacy. This working group will help identify and create partnership among ctcs/pccs, public schools, public institutions, government agencies and foundations to expand digital literacy/fluency to residents of all 77 communities. (Coordinator TBD).
Connectivity Tools Capacity Building Working Group. Connectivity is the key to communications whether the tools are social media websites, web-based utilities, cell-phone utilities like SMS, or open source tools that are used in organizing, fundraising, cause marketing and issue awareness activities. Health care, education, and politics are just some of the fields being impacted. This working group will investigate, evaluate and leverage the connectivity tools that can keep us in touch within neighborhoods, communities and cities. (Coordinator: TBD).
Platform Independence Working Group. Should residents be stuck using one OS? Google wants you to standardize on Google apps, as Microsoft does on Windows. Cloud computing is taking over, and there are a variety of available tools. You don't have to use Windows Live, you can use Zoho, Google Apps or others for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. This working group will investigate and spread the word about all the available tools out there and provide connections to avenues for building capacity in using them. (Coordinator: TBD).
Open Data/Open Government Working Group. Proprietary data or data that is hard to access inhibits transparency and community empowerment, say the Open Data evangelists that champion open access to data and data structures. This working group will devise strategies for spreading and helping governments and data managers the benefits of Open Data and Open Government to local community residents. (Coordinator: TBD).
Tech/Vocational Skills Training Working Group. One in 14 jobs is tech-related and nearly all of them require tech skills. Yet few high schools or colleges in Chicago teach tech-related skills: programming, systems design, systems repair and troubleshooting, and the bulk of training resources for A+, INET+, MCSE/MCSD, CCNA/CCIA and other certifications come from non-educational institutions in Chicago like CTCs. This working group will create strategies for developing new avenues in Chicago neighborhoods for tech-skills based vocational training. (Coordinator: TBD).
All reports and activities of the working groups will be featured in the CDAA's online newsletter, Digital Excellence Update and on the websites http://www.digitalexcellence.net and http://www.digitalaccessalliance.org.
We would like working groups to meet at least once a quarter or preferably more. We can provide some meeting space at our office space at the Syncubator, 322 South Green, but we would also like the meetings to happen in neighborhoods, because the working groups will be the important linkage between the CDAA, neighborhood efforts, partnerships and other activities. All these efforts will help us move toward the goal of a Chicago with access and knowledge and resources for everyone regardless of income, race or geography.
There will be more news from us about programs and other initiatives we will be launching.
So let's keep the momentum going! Choose a group to work with, join it, and get involved! If you have questions, e-mail us: Pierre Clark, pierre...@gmail.com, Michael Maranda, m...@michaelmaranda.net, or Lowry Taylor, lowrys...@gmail.com.
All The Best,
Pierre A. Clark, Co-Founder
Chicago Digital Access Alliance Inc.
312-970-0249/312-473-0373
http://www.digitalexcellence.net
On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 9:42 PM, Pierre Clark <pierre...@gmail.com> wrote:
The next chapter is just beginning. Stay tuned, because you are all part of the continuing saga.
Pierre Clark
To the presenters/speakers/panelists: If any of you have written copies of your presentations, summaries, powerpoints, photos or videos that you took, we would like to post them on http://www.digitalexcellence.net. ?you can either join the site and post it yourselves or send it to us and we will post it (either under your copyright or under a creative commons license, whichever you prefer). The website can serve as a repository of ongoing activities in the digital excellence space. Thanks again to all of you.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chicago Digital Access Alliance Inc. <con...@eventbrite.com>
Date: Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Subject: Message to attendees of DexCon2010: 1st Chicago Neighborhood Digital...
To: pierr...@post.harvard.edu
THANK YOU!
On behalf of the Chicago Digital Access Allliance and the DexCon2010 Planning Committee, THANK YOU for your support and attendance at our 1st Chicago Neighborhood Digital Excellence Conference And Technology Fair. Thanks to all the presenters, speakers and panelists, and thanks again and congratulations to our awardees: Carl Davidson, Constance Howard and Julia Stasch, and our dynamic keynote speaker, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee.
See you at Spring DexCon2011, Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21st, 2011!
Showcasing The National Perspective On Digital Excellence!
Sponsored by the Chicago Digital Access Alliance and The Digital Excellence Institute.
For more information visit our website at http://www.digitalexcellence.net.
Photos From The Conference - All Photos By Thom Clark, Community Media Workshop
Chicago Digital Access Alliance Inc.
http://www.digitalexcellence.net
This email was sent by Eventbrite, your total online solution to publish, register, manage and promote events. Host Your Events With Eventbrite
Click here to unsubscribe from events by "Chicago Digital Access Alliance Inc.."
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages