Brian Bell
Parkland College
DCEO Digital Divide
“Bridging the Digital Divide”
Grant Coordinator {one person at a time!!!}
Maria Mobasseri
Parkland College
CSIT Department Chair
DCEO, NSF, WIA
Grant Writer & PI
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 2B 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 bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Illustration demonstrating some local areas are
competing with the developing word.
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
My office at Parkland
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Retention
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Minimizing the Digital Divide
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Industry Employers
(Where CSIT Grads Work)
ADM EA Games Precision Graphics
Amdocs Farm Credit Services Provena Medical
Area Wide Technologies Frasca International Riverbed Technology
Benchmark Computers Fusion Broadband Simplified Computers
Busey Bank Health Alliance State Farm
Carle Clinic Hobbico UIUC
Carle Hospital Horizon Hobby Unified Networking
CDG (Communications Data Group) Human Kinetics Visual Concepts (2K Games)
Champaign Consortium Industrial Light Magic Volition
Champaign Unit 4 Schools Intel Volo Broadband
Christie Clinic NCTE Willis Computing
CU Computing Parkland College Wolfram Research
Defense Training & Technologies Plastipak
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 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 bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Our Partners: They help with donations,
resources and funds!!
Baltimore Air Coil
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Our Class
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
What we give
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Who we help
Ester and Charles
Donated Computer (volunteer)
Raulene and Richard
Recipients
Raulene Maria
Judy
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
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 LINUX
Applications:
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 bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872