Digital Inclusion CAIs and the Digital Divide

1. Digital InclusionCAIs and the Digital Divide Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition Conference Washington D.C. May 7-9, 2014

2. Introduction • Setting the Context • Laura Breeden, Program Director for Public Computer Centers and Broadband Adoption, NTIA/OTIA • Francine Alkisswani, Telecommunications Policy Analyst, NTIA/OTIA • Session #1: 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. • Panelists: • Jon Gant, Professor and Director of the Center for Digital Inclusion (CDI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Helen Milner, Chief Executive of Tinder Foundation • Karen Mossberger, Professor and Director of the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University • Session #2: 3:45 – 4:45 p.m. • Panelists: • Samantha Becker, Research Project Manager at the University of Washington Information School • Rodney K. Hopson, Professor, Division of Educational Psychology, Research Methods, and Educational Policy, College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University

3. Setting the Context: Background and Rationale for Meaningful Metrics • The idea for the Meaningful Metrics initiative originated from discussion after the evaluation session at the 2013 SHLB meeting. • Concerns: • What are the appropriate metrics for assessing and evaluating BTOP (and other ICT) projects? • How can we develop a common set of definitions and lexicon to discuss broadband adoption, access, applications, acceptance? • Issues: • Future metrics must go beyond the BTOP NOFAs so that terms and definitions achieved through consensus and operationalized with meaningful metrics can guide future program design, implementation and evaluation. • The initiative should be meaningful to the research and evaluation community, community stakeholders, practitioners, funding organizations and policymakers.

4. Why NTIA? • As part of its larger mission, NTIA can begin and promote this initiative because: • NTIA is the Executive Branch agency principally responsible by law for advising the President on telecommunications and information policy issues • NTIA is vitally interested in grounding policy in good data • BTOP evaluation reports, data collection methodologies, data collection instruments, state broadband plans and mapping data serve the nation as rich and valuable resources to facilitate the expansion of broadband communication services and infrastructure

5. Meaningful Metrics will be a collaborative effort by NTIA, external stakeholders and other Federal agencies • NTIA has started discussions with evaluation practitioners on next steps • The Metrics Affinity Group discussed the advantages and disadvantages of metrics standardization and potential next steps for the project • The group also discussed the necessity of a framework to guide the resources, activities, outputs and overall goals of the Meaningful Metrics project • Webinars • NTIA is conducting a series of webinars designed to stimulate discussion around the use of common terminology and the development of common metrics for research and evaluation of BTOP projects. • Webinars provide a forum to discuss approaches to measurement and review the data and tools created, collected and analyzed as part of BTOP projects, as well as other resources in the field

6. NTIA’s Meaningful Metrics project aims to develop common metrics to advance future evaluation for policy and practice • The affinity group identified an urgent need to define metrics so that digital divides may be identified and addressed promptly and effectively • The current state of data collection is fragmented and limited by the definitions of the 2009 legislation • Concepts and units of measure should be clearly defined and operationalized, to include: digital divide, impact, broadband adoption, broadband, types of people impacted, and areas of use (e.g., education, health, employment, social, small business) • People’s use of technology and the Internet to improve their lives—jobs, health, finance, small business development, etc.—should be measured over time

7. The common metrics can be developed from existing reports and research • The basis for common metrics for broadband deployment, adoption, and use, and associated short- and long-term social and economic impacts, can be supported by BTOP grantee evaluation reports • At closeout, many BTOP grantees submit final evaluations that use a variety of data collection instruments that measure and analyze different aspects of broadband use and adoption • As a leader in information and communications technology (ICT), NTIA can collaborate with BTOP grantees and other external stakeholders to build consensus around metrics that will later inform research and evaluation around future programs and policy

8. The Meaningful Metrics logic model outlines the resources, activities and products needed for project implementation

9. Introduce Speakers

10. Samantha Becker • Current: Research Manager for the U.S. IMPACT Study at the University of Washington Information School • Primary focus areas: How people use public library computers and other technology, and how new adult users gain the skills to use information and communications technology • Prior experience in public policy research, serving as a lead investigator for evaluation projects, and facilitating productive dialogue between diverse stakeholders • MA, Library and Information Science and Public Administration, University of Washington

11. Jon Patrick Gant • Current: Professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and founding Director of the Center for Digital Inclusion (CDI) • Primary focus areas: Internet access and use, broadband adoption in minority communities, and digital literacy • Prior experience with e-government, geospatial information systems, strategic planning, and information systems • PhD, Public Policy and Management, Carnegie Mellon University

12. Rodney Hopson • Current: Professor, Division of Educational Psychology, Research Methods, and Education Policy, College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University • Primary focus areas: Educational evaluation, culturally responsive evaluation/assessment, and the role of culture and cultural context in evaluation • Prior experience in educational foundations and leadership, qualitative research, and as the 2012 President of the American Evaluation Association • PhD, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia; post-doctoral/sabbatical studies, University of Namibia, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Centre of African Studies, and Cambridge University

13. Helen Milner • Current: Chief Executive of Tinder Foundation, a UK social enterprise and staff-owned mutual • Primary focus areas: Education and online learning • Prior experience in developing internet education content and services for children and schools, online education in Australia and Japan, and helping to create learndirect – the UK online learning network • MA, Public Policy, Claremont University

14. Karen Mossberger • Current: Professor and Director of the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University • Primary focus areas: Digital inequality, e-government, information technology and civic engagement, local governance, and urban policy • Prior experience with the multi-year evaluation of the Smart Communities BTOP program in 9 low and moderate-income Chicago neighborhoods, a 5-year citywide study to track changes in technology use across Chicago’s community areas • PhD., Political Science, Wayne State University