Papers & Presentations
Community Participation in the Information Age:
Using Schools to Access Information Technology and the Internet
Sarah Miller CIRCIT at RMIT
In recognition of the inequity in distribution of, access to, and use of online services, policy initiatives have been introduced by governments that promote access and use of online services within the community. These are particularly aimed at "disadvantaged" people; for example, rural and remote communities and people with disabilities.
Several Federal and State and Territory Government initiatives have supported access to, and training in, online services, have proposed the use of schools as public access points. The large investment made in schools on IT, the limited use of services occurring only during school hours, the general accessibility of schools, the willingness of schools to foster and enhance existing relationships with the local community, and the professionalism and skills of staff and students, are all important reasons to consider using schools as public access centres. These initiatives raise many questions for schools, their staff, and the wider community. For example, what are the resourcing and cost implications, how does this sit with the educational programs of schools, what are their relationships to other access centres a, and what models can be used?
This paper will draw on CIRCIT research and the experience of schools participating in the Skills.net project and national pilot project Facilitating Community Access to IT Through Schools to explore these issues. It is intended that the audience participate in the sessions, to comment on their findings, and voice their opinions and experiences.