Socio-Cultural Telecommunication Architectures of Hawaii

1. Socio-Cultural Telecommunication Architectures of Hawaii Lauren Tomatani Com 633 Dr. Wedemeyer

2. Basis for my Socio-Cultural Model • World Summit on the Information Society: Declaration of Principles • ICTs should be regarded as tools, and not as an end in themselves. • Individuals must utilize these tools to create positive economic, social, communicative results • Ongoing relationship with ICTs that continues to develop. Forward moving process • Regarding ICTs, particular attention should be given to the special needs of the marginalized and vulnerable groups of society • Native Hawaiian population and newly immigrated individuals to Hawaii • We are resolute to empower the poor, especially those living in remote, rural, and marginalized urban areas • ICTs should be empowering to all who utilize it, regardless of their socio-economic status and cultural backgrounds

3. 2000 US Census Bureau Statistics • Percentage of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander • Hawaii: 9.1% • Mainland US: 0.2% • Percentage of Foreign Born Persons • Hawaii: 17.5% • Mainland US: 11.1% • Language other than English spoken at home • Hawaii: 26.6% • Mainland US: 17.9%

4. 2003-2004 US Census Bureau Study • In 2004, over one million people lived in poverty than in the previous year • Nearly six percent of the entire US population lived in extreme poverty • People who were foreign born were more likely to live near the poverty threshold or in extreme poverty than those who were native born

5. Socio-Cultural ICT Issues of Hawaii • The Digital Divide • Gap between those with regular, effective access to digital technologies and those without (Wikipedia.org) • Language barriers • 87 percent of documents on the Internet are in English. For at least 32 million Americans, English is not their primary language (DigitalDivide.net) • Literacy barriers • 22 percent of American adults do not possess the reading/writing skills necessary to function in everyday life. Approximately 44 million Americans are affected by these barriers (DigitalDivide.net) • Lack of local information • Google Search • Uneven access to ICT tools and devices • Native Hawaiian population is the most economically distressed group throughout Hawaii. (HI DOE, Education Plan)

6. Implementing Hawaii’s Individuals with Effective ICT Knowledge and Skills • If computers and computer networks play an increasingly important role in continued learning and career development, then education should integrate technology in a meaningful way to better prepare students (International Telecommunication Union)

7. Hawaii Department of Education- Educational Technology Plan (2004 draft) • Mission: To design and implement a system that provides universal access to the global village for Hawaii’s lifelong learners. Strive to promote interactive, high performance uses of technology. • HDOE’s vision: Effective use of ICTs in education can contribute to higher academic performance, improved motivation, and a more exciting environment for effective teaching and learning • For educators: develop a professional interactive community, create a standards based curriculum through his community • For learners: offer more resources, readily available information, immediate feedback, practice for modern workplace • For society: support richer home and workplace connections to schools and libraries, technological literacy, communication exchange

8. Hawaii Department of Education- Educational Technology Plan (2004 draft), cont’d. • ICT tools to support research: • Video conferences, audio conferences, Internet based resources, PDAs, cellular devices, computers in the classrooms • Utilizing ICT Resources: • Expand number of networked computers in Hawaii’s schools and be able to connect to a high speed network • Upgrade all school’s voice connections to newer Key Service Units • Connect all classrooms to the Cable Access Television Network • Expand school library applications such as digital libraries, multi-media centers, telecommunications access centers

9. Progressive Telecommunication Organizations of Hawaii • PEACESAT: Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments by Satellite • Hawaii based nonprofit organization that provides services to Pacific island organizations • Main goal: To lessen the information and ICT divide in the Pacific islands through- • Development communications~ use of ICT to assist the building of an organization, community, state, or nation • Public service telecommuications~ use of ICT for education, public awareness and participation, research, economic development, welfate • Actions: • Assist organizations in needs assesments for ICT. Identify plan and design to implement ICT projects • Manage several telecommunication networks and cross connections with other networks to promote sharing of information and resources among civic organizations

10. Progressive Telecommunication Organizations of Hawaii, cont’d • PREL: Pacific Resources for Education and Learning • Hawaii based organization providing service to educational facilities in the Pacific islands, mainland US, and other countries • Vision: a world in which all children and communities are literate, healthy, and grounded in and enriched by their cultures. • Structured into three centers, including CICT- Center for Information Communications and Technology • Provides technical assistance, consulting, training, and professional development to educational facilities • Graphic design, print production, media coverage, distance education, support to related organizations, hardware and software support

11. Progressive Telecommunication Organizations of Hawaii, cont’ • PTC: Pacific Telecommunications Council • Organization providing the use of ICT services, policies, and knowledge to benefit its members and people of the Pacific hemisphere • Organize conferences and forums to promote the open exchange of information • Encourage research, development, and technology services • Grow an active diverse membership of experts and professionals committed to the PTC vision • Overcome uneven development and ICT competency divides

12. Federal Funding to Provide Individual Access to ICT Tools • In 1999, Senator Inouye Announced 1.6 Million in Federal Funds for Native Hawaiian Programs in UH System • Funds were intended to encourage and aid Native Hawaiians to continue their education, allow expansion on cultural programs • HCC: developed satellite Hawaiian studies program taught via television broadcasts • WCC: funds went to training Native Hawaiian students in using computer hardware and software, improving their accessibility to computer equipment • MCC: funds went to purchasing software for its digital media laboratory. MCC’s goal is to create an environment that enables students to recognize how high technology can be used to explore language and culture

13. Empowered Internet Solutions • Largest and Fastest Growing Web Solutions Provider in Hawaii • Locally owned and operated website design company • Provides service to over 1000 local businesses in Hawaii • Mission to build a better Internet by breaking down technological barriers of maintaining a website • Allows customers full control over their website to upload information and make changes to the content of their site, allowing the public to always access up to date information

14. Socio-Cultural ICT Issues Digital Divide Language barriers Literacy barriers Uneven access to ICT tools Lack of local information Once achieved, should alleviate Call for the development and actions of Goals Educate individuals on ITC developments Provide funding for new ICT developments in educational and professional systems Create a networked community of informed individuals Plans of Action HI DOE Dept of Technology Plan Professional Resources PEACESAT PTC PREL Work to achieve