Brian Bell Parkland College DCEO Digital Divide Grant Coordinator Maria Mobasseri Parkland College CSIT Department Chair DCEO, NSF, WIA Grant Writer & PI

“Bridging the Digital Divide” {one person at a time!!!}

Types of Digital Divides

 Access to Education and training  Access to physical equipment  Access to the global network (internet)  Access to broadband network speeds (UC 2 B HELP!)  Sub categories     Race Region Income Level of Education “The digital divide is what happened to you while you were at work”

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Illustration demonstrating some local areas are competing with the developing word.

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

My office at Parkland

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

NSF GRANT Mission: Building Communities

Six central Illinois colleges have joined forces to address a common problem: the small number of women and minority students completing college programs in Computer Science and Information Technology.

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

2008 Statistics for Women

 56% of Advance Placement (AP) test-takers were female  51% of AP Calculus test-takers were female  17% of AP Computer Science test-takers were female  65% of Intel Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalists in Biochemistry were female  35% of ISEF finalists in Mathematics were female  19% of ISEF finalists in Computer Science were female (source: National Center for Women & Information Technology, www.ncwit.org) Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

   

2008 Statistics for Women

27% of Computer Scientists were female.

3% of Computer Scientists were female and African-American.

3% of Computer Scientists were female and Asian.

1% of Computer Scientists were female and Hispanic.

   57% of professional occupations in the US workforce were held by women.

24% of professional IT-related occupations in the US workforce were held by women.

16% of corporate office positions at Fortune 500 technology companies were held by women.

(source: National Center for Women & Information Technology, www.ncwit.org) Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Challenges

 Lack of numbers  Lack of student interest about computers  Lack of student knowledge about computers  Minority and female students must be recruited in different ways  Lack of female and minority role models Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Systemic Issues

   K–12  Little Exposure   Curriculum is weak Recruitment issues (female students must be recruited differently) Higher Education    Curriculum needs revision; application areas Lack of “confidence”— different definitions of failure Law of low numbers — lack of role models Careers     Advancement on the technical ladder Work / Home balance — job re-entry Lack of women technical luminaries Few IT start up business success stories Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

What have we done?

Recruiting

 Contests  Open House  College Class Visits  Informational Kickoffs  Women in Computer Science Clubs  Workshops (Middle School, High School) Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

What have we done?

Retention

 Mentoring  Study Groups  Industry Tours  Educational Trips  Celebration and Retreat  Fundraising for Scholarship Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Retention

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Minimizing the Digital Divide

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Internships (Summer 2005 to Summer 2009)

Total of

130

internships in the following fields: • • • Networking Administration Microcomputer Support Specialist Digital Media/Web Average of

33

graduates per year!

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Industry Employers (Where CSIT Grads Work)

ADM Amdocs Area Wide Technologies Benchmark Computers Busey Bank Carle Clinic Carle Hospital CDG (Communications Data Group) Champaign Consortium Champaign Unit 4 Schools Christie Clinic CU Computing Defense Training & Technologies EA Games Farm Credit Services Frasca International Fusion Broadband Health Alliance Hobbico Horizon Hobby Human Kinetics Industrial Light Magic Intel NCTE Parkland College Plastipak Precision Graphics Provena Medical Riverbed Technology Simplified Computers State Farm UIUC Unified Networking Visual Concepts (2K Games) Volition Volo Broadband Willis Computing Wolfram Research Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

DCEO / Digital Divide Grant Mission:

(Parkland College) is to target 300 individuals from the lowest income neighborhoods within Champaign-Urbana area. Each participant will receive at least 28 hours of project based, hands-on and practical technology training. Participants will basic computer skills, typing instructions, internet connectivity and access to certification training. Following our current format for Computer Literacy at Parkland College's Mattis facility, participants will have access to GED training, job placement information and printing services. Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Who are our clients

 Currently at 1307 N Mattis Illinois Worknet Center  Class dynamics, basic overview     Over 40 Unemployed 50/50 Male – Female 50/50 Minority – Non Minority (white non-hispanic)  70% + no computer or internet access at home  Some areas have no access at all (Comcast ,etc.) dial up only!

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Our Partners: They help with donations, resources and funds!!

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872 Baltimore Air Coil

Our Class

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

What we give

Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872

Who we help

Raulene and Richard Donated Computer Recipients Ester and Charles (volunteer) Raulene Maria Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872 Judy

How we help

 Classroom style and one on one instruction.

 Move clients into the future with knowledge of hardware, operating systems and applications.

 From the last computer they may have used to the computer that’s coming out next month!

 Teach valuable skills to assist current needs.(JOBS)  Bridge the gap, by bringing them up to speed, and give the tools to keep that speed.

Curriculum : What they learn



Hardware:

 The 2 Types of computers:  PC or MAC 

Operating systems:

 XP, VISTA, SEVEN 

Applications:

LINUX  Types  Embedded, Portable, Online, Virtual, Thinned 

And the NEW Cloud!!

Hardware evolution!!

10,000 pounds

4 pounds!

Human evolution: Success

Kimberly & Flora Applications Certifications of Completion. Microsofts Elevate America Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach Coordinator [email protected] 217-373-3872