It is essential that businesses and communities have an effective presence on the Internet. Yet over half the businesses in Minnesota cannot be found on the Internet. This means potential customers cannot find them.

The University of Minnesota Extension is changing this through the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities program. We offer a pair of free workshops to any business or community group outside the Twin Cities metro willing to host them. These workshops have been offered nearly 200 times throughout the state and are well received.

To arrange these workshops or for questions, please contact: Hans Muessig, Program Director, hmuessig@umn.edu or 763-360-0993. For more information please go to the Extension MIRC website www.extension.umn.edu/community/mirc.

Mankato has joined the growing Bring Your Own Technology movement that allows students to use their own Netbooks, laptops, and tablets — anything that connects to the school’s wireless network — during class time.

“By allowing kids to bring in their own devices, you free up school resources for the kids who don’t have access,” says Doug Johnson, director of media and technology for the Mankato Public School System. (Johnson wrote the book — literally — on the subject; The Classroom Teacher’s Technology Survival Guide is published this month.) For example, in classrooms that have a group of four computers, finding time for all 30 students to use them can be challenging. In Mankato, 90% of the students have some sort of wireless-capable device, which leaves only eight students in a typical class who will need to use the class computers.

It’s an interesting concept. On one level, I think it’s a practical solution. Having some kids bring in their own computers does mean fewer computers required to cover the kids who don’t have their own. So it can level the playing the field during the school day, in that everyone has a computer. (Although I imagine the playing field isn’t too equal when there is such a wide range of devices out there. Forget about hand-me-down sweaters, imagine going to school with your cousin’s Commodore 64!)

From a management perspective I think this has got to be a challenge. The article brings up the broadband issue of having to plan for enough bandwidth to meet all needs. I think that’s a good problem to have and one we should be striving to solve regardless. The real issue is managing the tech support. Is each kid responsible for the upkeep on his computer? When the computer quits in the middle of the class, who helps? How do you protect the network and computers from viruses and what do you do about security and privacy? Do you allow sharing via flash drives or is everything in the cloud? (Sounds like Mankato is cloud-based but that probably works better with some devices than others.)

The article brings up similar points…

Mobile phones, and especially those that aren’t smart phones, obviously don’t have the same capabilities as computers. But when tablets and Netbooks enter the picture, it becomes less of an argument against insufficient technology and more an argument against managing multiple technologies. Stager adds that in a class full of students handling his or her own device, each one different from the other, will only “amplify [teachers'] anxiety and reduce use.”

From a teaching perspective, how do you handle so many devices and different reactions/reaction times across a classroom? I was a computer teacher in a grade school for a very short time. We had about 12 computer, 8 of which might be working at any one time. Everything was donated; everything was unique. And the network used a dialup connection to the Internet. The class was much less about teaching computer skills than about trying to repair computer issues. It sounds like the situation is Mankato is much better, but is every school so well prepared?

And although Johnson [Doug Johnson, director of media and technology for the Mankato Public School System] admits that more traditional teachers resist or are overwhelmed by this type of learning, students will need little support because they’re already familiar with their own devices. If the bandwidth and infrastructure are in place for students to access the school network, Johnson says they’ll be able to do their work with little oversight.

The advent of devices is a disruptive technology – and I applaud Mankato for taking it on. I am curious to see how this plan pans out in the long term. I think (maybe I hope) there will be a lot of trial and error in education as educators and administrator try to unleash the potential and prepare students for jobs of tomorrow – not the job of today. We can’t be afraid to fail when it comes to integrating technology into the schools - because I think by doing nothing we’re already failing the workforce of tomorrow. (That’s not to say that I think Mankato will fail – but I think their policy may see a few iterations as technology, financing and needs change.)

Saint Paul, Minnesota nonprofit organization PCs for People is leading a mobile computer refurbishing project funded by the Blandin Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project seeks to reduce electronic waste while simultaneously helping bridge the digital divide in greater Minnesota.

“We have created a mobile unit to travel to cities across the State of Minnesota, refurbish donated computers on-site and give them right back to families in the local community”, said Casey Sorensen Executive Director of PCs for People. “We are very excited about the project, last month we gave 113 computers to families in Duluth and saw overwhelming demand. Families were extremely grateful since over 80% were receiving their first home computer!” noted Casey. Over the next 7 months PCs for People will travel to 10 communities to replicate the successful Duluth event:

1. Alexandria
2. Bemidji
3. Crookston
4. Fairmont
5. Austin
6. Marshall
7. Hutchinson/Litchfield
8. Faribault/Rice County
9. Cambridge
10. Hibbing

The project will focus on getting computers to two demographics that generally do not own home PCs; low income families and senior citizens. Recipients are identified through partnerships with local community organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs, Head Start programs and Senior Centers. To be eligible for a computer each recipient attends a basic computer training session and they must be below the 150% poverty level.

Two critical components to making sure the computer is useful are an internet connection and ongoing technical support. Each computer comes with free support from a local computer repair shop and self-paced basic computer skills training. For internet, recently ISPs such as Comcast and CentruyLink have created $10 a month high speed internet programs exclusively for low income households. Sorensen said, “Families that receive a computer through our organization have never had the opportunity to search for jobs or use search engines from their homes. It is a big deal for them.” With an average income under $12,000 per year recipient families generally can’t afford $50-60 a month for internet. Sorensen mentioned, “In most cases families want a computer for the Internet and for school work. Even though they can’t afford the most expensive service we have found they are able to prioritize a $10-20 internet bill.”

According to Michael Graif, project lead for PCs for People’s Mobile Refurbishing, finding people in need of a computer is the easy part. “What we need now to make sure these events are successful is to find local businesses willing to donate their old computers.” Prior to arrival in each city, PCs for People will reach out to local businesses to source at least 100 computers. “This is a win-win for businesses needing to manage their end-of-lifecycle digital assets in a cost-effective way, and for the community,” said Michael Graif. “Not only are we offering businesses valuable data wiping and hardware recycling services for free, but it’s an opportunity to help their local community.”

Businesses looking to participate in the program and donate their equipment should contact Michael Graif at: mgraif@pcsforpeople.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling (651) 243-0093.

PCs for People, a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and refurbishing used computers for distribution to those who lack this essential communication and education tool. Since 1998, the organization has distributed refurbished computers to over 10,000 Minnesota families.

The Board members were talking about pilot projects around the start that have been created (or considered) to help rural residents, especially low-income households, get a starter kit of sorts to access broadband. A popular plan is to provide a computer (often rehabbed) and subsidize the broadband connectivity in the home for a long enough time that people might see the value and become customers at their own expense.

There are two basic challenges that come up when managing these programs that I think are a microcosm of the issue throughout the state – and probably on a national level.

The first issue is adoption. How do you provide training to the new computer/broadband users? I’ve heard the PCs for People folks claim that generally if you can get them the computer, they can use them. And I think that’s probably true for 80 percent of the users for 80 percent of the time. But the Blandin focuses on the 20 percent.

Adoption I think involves two things – providing enough training to inspire someone to find a that the technology makes their life better. Maybe that means letting them fill out a job application, or talk to family far away, or help kids learn to spell, or accessing healthcare. Part of the issue in providing training is that everyone’s hot button is different.

Adoption also means providing enough tech support when the computer goes down to get it back up – especially with low-income households. (I just broke my laptop screen five days after taking it out of the box. OK for me I pay the big bucks for a warranty and used a tone on the phone that helped the vendors realize that coming to my house would be better for them.) Computers break the cost to repair can be high and is unpredictable – so by its nature it’s hard to budget for it.

The second issue is cost. Folks in some CenturyLink or Comcast areas are in good shape with $9.95 per month (and some computer deals). I know other providers also have deals for low-income households. (Other providers are welcome to chime in!) But some areas are unserved (which is a different issue) and some areas are just too darned expensive. We looked at a couple of areas that were 3.5 times more expensive that the going regular rate.

So again no big revelation – but a reminder of some of the root issues – adoption and cost.

The article reports…

Some of the participants at last week’s class had never looked at a blog on the Internet before, two had just launched their own business blog and one individual has degrees in multimedia and is in the process of starting a business that helps businesses use all forms of social networks, including blogging.

Ryan Pesch, an Extension Educator, led the class. He explained the purpose of a business blog…

Pesch explained that a blog can create credibility for a business and help them find new customers.

The article indicates that policies partnered with private industry are creating two Internets: the wireless Internet of for low-income (especially African American and Latino) citizens and wired Internet for those with higher incomes. Those on the wireless Internet are restricted in what they can do online.

Here are pieces to the puzzle that seem to relate more directly to pure economics.

1. Handhelds are cheaper than laptops. My mom is thinking about a computer or a tablet or a smartphone. But unlike many people in her shoes cost is *a* factor – not *the* factor.
2. Wireless contracts are cheaper than wired. This is true on a month-to-month basis but even more true when you consider a potentially transient consumer and startup fees after each move.
3. The article includes research results that indicate that African American and Latino consumers are much more likely to rely on smartphones for Internet access than their white counterparts.

Here are some pieces that are technical:

1. Fiber is faster than wireless.
2. Cable is faster than most wireless.

Here are some pieces that seem to relate to policy:

1. The Net Neutrality bill that passed maintain a level of openness for wired Internet.
2. The Net Neutrality bill that passed allows wireless provides to create data packages that not only cap speeds/data transfer but also can promote some information and prohibit some information. The example given in the article is Verizon filtering out (refusing to deliver) all text messages containing specific words.
3. The National Broadband Plan promotes 100 Mbps for 100 million homes and only 4 Mbps for the rest.

I definitely suggest reading the original article for a more passionate interpretation. I would be very interested in hearing “the other side” of the story.

If you were white, middle-class and urban, the Internet was opening untold doors of information and opportunity. If you were poor, rural or a member of a minority group, you were fast being left behind.

She points out that…

While we still talk about “the” Internet, we increasingly have two separate access marketplaces: high-speed wired and second-class wireless. High-speed access is a superhighway for those who can afford it, while racial minorities and poorer and rural Americans must make do with a bike path.

And after detailing how (technically) we can close the gap with cable and fiber she concludes that the issue is a national concern…

The new digital divide raises important questions about social equity in an information-driven world. But it is also a matter of protecting our economic future. Thirty years from now, African-Americans and Latinos, who are at the greatest risk of being left behind in the Internet revolution, will be more than half of our work force. If we want to be competitive in the global economy, we need to make sure every American has truly high-speed wired access to the Internet for a reasonable cost.

With that in mind I want to ask if we to invest in technology that will raise all boats – faster broadband that will facilitate two-way communication requires for telehealth, remote employment, even job interviews – why does the National Broadband Plan perpetuate the digital divide by aiming to provide genuinely high speed (100 Mbps) connectivity to 100 million homes but settle for 4 Mbps for the rest?

The St. Paul Public Library has been awarded a $100,000 grant to create special computer labs for middle and high school students that the funders hope will become national prototypes.

The plan is to get students creating, not just consuming content.

The grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Science and the MacArthur Foundation is to the St. Paul Public Library to plan and the design the labs.

The local library, the city and the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library will provide another $65,000 in in-kind support.

• PRINCIPLE 1: Availability and affordability
• PRINCIPLE 2: Public access
• PRINCIPLE 3: Accessibility for people with disabilities
• PRINCIPLE 4: Adoption and digital literacy
• PRINCIPLE 5: Consumer education and protection
• PRINCIPLE 6: Education
• PRINCIPLE 7: Economic and workforce development
• PRINCIPLE 8: Civic engagement
• PRINCIPLE 9: Public safety and emergency services
• PRINCIPLE 10: Health care
• PRINCIPLE 11: Quality of life

1. They also provide steps for creating a digitally inclusive community:
   Convene stakeholders
   Develop a shared community understanding of digital inclusion
   Create a community action plan
   Implement the plan
   Evaluate and revise the plan

In March of 2010, Jessica (pictured with her mother) found herself without a working computer at home, and in danger of falling behind in her school work as a result. Fortunately, thanks to a new project in the Brainerd area to provide refurbished used computers to income eligible families at a very low cost, Jessica now has a working computer at home, and thanks to a reduced internet access fee provided through Consolidated Telephone (CTC), she is also able to do on-line research from the comfort of her own home.

During these difficult economic times many families have stretched every dollar as far as it will go and do not have the resources to obtain a computer, let alone internet access that may give them the opportunity to enhance their education and quality of life drastically.

In 2009 the Blandin Foundation was awarded a federal grant to champion Broadband adoption and promotion in rural Minnesota. The Blandin Foundation selected six statewide partners, one of which is PC’s for People, a non-profit organization that started in Mankato and now operates in St. Paul. PC’s for People extends the useful life of computers by refurbishing them and donating them to low income and disadvantaged individuals to enhance educational opportunities for families with young children.

The Region Five Development Commission, another of Blandin’s six partners in the grant, has teamed up with PC’s for People to create an affiliate PC’s for People organization to serve the five counties within Region5. In early development of this program, Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) brought partners to the table to begin discussing this initiative. Between CTC, PC’s for People, Blandin Foundation, Region 5, ISD 181 and Karl Samp, the first pilot and trial was launched. The pilot program successfully refurbished and placed 10 computers into homes of families with elementary school aged children that were defined as low income and had a need for a PC within their home.
Another recipient was a family facing the harsh reality of a Minnesota winter without a home of their own.

Fortunately, a family friend was able to provide them with a place to live for the winter. With a major obstacle temporarily overcome other needs became important, like word processing and internet access. About this same time they learned of the PC’s for People affiliate program and applied for a laptop computer. What a difference a day makes! In a matter of days, this family went from living unsheltered with young children to the warmth and security of a comfortable home and a computer to access online education opportunities, communicate, and complete homework.

Many of us have a computer (or two) just sitting unused in a basement or garage, or a business who has several computers that they may otherwise have to pay to recycle or store. With the holidays fast approaching consider making a difference in a young person’s life by giving the gift of opportunity. If you would like to donate a computer please contact Hughes Technology by phone at 218.232.5435.