Programs help digital divide

The second issue is civic engagement and inclusivity with local government. And the third is feeling a lack of connectivity within their community and families. To address the problem, communities have developed programs by partnering with local nonprofits, libraries, and community centers to provide seniors a source of support and education on technology.

This approach generally does not require a new building or staff, but does tend to rely heavily on volunteers. This goal can be achieved through the use of tutors leading class sessions and training that focuses on the desired needs of the targeted population, as well as having a designated location to field and answer questions, concerns, and comments on an ongoing basis.

Communities are using senior citizen mentors who have completed a technological training program, or local school students participating in a bridge-the-divide program, as tutors for their programs. Overall, there have been three main reasons identified for wanting to increase technology usage for seniors: engage and communicate with friends and family, research medical and health concerns, and access social service providers.

Two successful nationwide programs appear to be making significant impacts building the bridge across the senior digital divide. This resource seeks to help communities chart a designated plan toward digital inclusiveness. States that have begun using this framework and seeing successful responses are Wisconsin, Texas, and Pennsylvania.

We saw teachers and caregivers struggle to build online learning environments with platforms they had never used before. In other words, we saw how access both to digital tools and digital skills is essential for achieving digital equity. Skip over related stories to continue reading article. As museums charged into a world of digital offerings, many of us lived by a mantra: if our visitors could not come to us, we would go to them.

But what about the visitors who did not have access to the internet, or even a cell phone? As we applaud ourselves for using technology to reach thousands, even millions, of people in new ways, we must also acknowledge who we left out and begin to plan a new world that gives access to all. This piece examines what some museums did to bridge the digital divide and calls on you, the reader, to consider the role of museums in widening or shrinking it. How can our programs and offerings excel through the lenses of access, accessibility, and equity?

How can museums play a vital role in supporting digital education to effect change? Finally, how can they ensure that they support digital infrastructures that bridge the digital divide, not widen it? Many museum educators sought to bridge the digital divide during the pandemic by forming partnerships that bolstered digital access. One of the resulting projects involved partnering with a local broadcasting station. As Lindzy Bivings, Senior Manager of School and Community Partnerships at Cal Academy, explains, the museum had noted that families who did not have access to the internet usually had access to televisions.

To reach these families, the museum produced short science videos for the station that included learning activities, animal highlights, and science-themed content for kindergarten through second-grade students. Staff made these videos without any additional budget, using their existing time and resources. In another project, to help families who could access the internet but experienced overloaded or unstable bandwidth, educators created asynchronous student activities with downloadable audio and text directions, which teachers could share easily through their online educational platforms.

If you or a Veteran you know could benefit from VA telehealth, here are some of the ways that VA can help you get connected. The social worker can determine whether you are eligible for programs that can help you get the internet service or technology needed for VA telehealth.

The Digital Divide Consult can help determine if you are eligible. This enables Veterans to access their VA care teams through telehealth with fewer worries about data fees. Many Veterans are eligible for Lifeline benefits, including Veterans with low incomes and citizens of federally recognized tribal lands. For the full list of eligibility requirements, visit the EBB website. See if you qualify for both Lifeline and the EBB programs by calling , a. ET, or by visiting the Lifeline website.