Brian Bell
Parkland College
DCEO Digital Divide
Grant Coordinator
Maria Mobasseri
Parkland College
CSIT Department Chair
DCEO, NSF, WIA
Grant Writer & PI
“Bridging the Digital Divide”
{one person at a time!!!}
Types of Digital Divides
 Access to Education and training
 Access to physical equipment
 Access to the global network (internet)
 Access to broadband network speeds (UC2B HELP!)
 Sub categories
 Race
 Region
 Income
 Level of Education
“The digital divide is what happened to you while you were at
work”
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Illustration demonstrating some local areas are
competing with the developing word.
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
My office at Parkland
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
NSF GRANT
Mission: Building Communities
Six central Illinois colleges have joined forces to
address a common problem: the small number of
women and minority students completing college
programs in Computer Science and Information
Technology.
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
2008 Statistics for Women
 56% of Advance Placement (AP) test-takers were female
 51% of AP Calculus test-takers were female
 17% of AP Computer Science test-takers were female
 65% of Intel Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalists
in Biochemistry were female
 35% of ISEF finalists in Mathematics were female
 19% of ISEF finalists in Computer Science were female
(source: National Center for Women & Information Technology, www.ncwit.org)
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
2008 Statistics for Women
 27% of Computer Scientists were female.
 3% of Computer Scientists were female and African-American.
 3% of Computer Scientists were female and Asian.
 1% of Computer Scientists were female and Hispanic.
 57% of professional occupations in the US workforce were held by
women.
 24% of professional IT-related occupations in the US workforce were
held by women.
 16% of corporate office positions at Fortune 500 technology companies
were held by women.
(source: National Center for Women & Information Technology, www.ncwit.org)
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Challenges
 Lack of numbers
 Lack of student interest about computers
 Lack of student knowledge about computers
 Minority and female students must be recruited in
different ways
 Lack of female and minority role models
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Systemic Issues
 K–12
 Little Exposure
 Curriculum is weak
 Recruitment issues (female students must be recruited differently)
 Higher Education
 Curriculum needs revision; application areas
 Lack of “confidence”— different definitions of failure
 Law of low numbers — lack of role models
 Careers
 Advancement on the technical ladder
 Work / Home balance — job re-entry
 Lack of women technical luminaries
 Few IT start up business success stories
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
What have we done?
Recruiting
 Contests
 Open House
 College Class Visits
 Informational Kickoffs
 Women in Computer Science Clubs
 Workshops (Middle School, High School)
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
What have we done?
Retention
 Mentoring
 Study Groups
 Industry Tours
 Educational Trips
 Celebration and Retreat
 Fundraising for Scholarship
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Retention
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Minimizing the Digital Divide
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Internships
(Summer 2005 to Summer 2009)
Total of 130 internships in the following fields:
• Networking Administration
• Microcomputer Support Specialist
• Digital Media/Web
Average of 33 graduates per year!
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Industry Employers
(Where CSIT Grads Work)
ADM
Amdocs
Area Wide Technologies
Benchmark Computers
Busey Bank
Carle Clinic
Carle Hospital
CDG (Communications Data Group)
Champaign Consortium
Champaign Unit 4 Schools
Christie Clinic
CU Computing
Defense Training & Technologies
EA Games
Farm Credit Services
Frasca International
Fusion Broadband
Health Alliance
Hobbico
Horizon Hobby
Human Kinetics
Industrial Light Magic
Intel
NCTE
Parkland College
Plastipak
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Precision Graphics
Provena Medical
Riverbed Technology
Simplified Computers
State Farm
UIUC
Unified Networking
Visual Concepts (2K Games)
Volition
Volo Broadband
Willis Computing
Wolfram Research
DCEO / Digital Divide Grant
Mission:
(Parkland College) is to target 300 individuals from the lowest income
neighborhoods within Champaign-Urbana area. Each participant will
receive at least 28 hours of project based, hands-on and practical
technology training. Participants will basic computer skills, typing
instructions, internet connectivity and access to certification training.
Following our current format for Computer Literacy at Parkland
College's Mattis facility, participants will have access to GED training,
job placement information and printing services.
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Who are our clients
 Currently at 1307 N Mattis Illinois Worknet Center
 Class dynamics, basic overview





Over 40
Unemployed
50/50 Male – Female
50/50 Minority – Non Minority (white non-hispanic)
70% + no computer or internet access at home
 Some areas have no access at all (Comcast ,etc.) dial up only!
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Our Partners: They help with donations,
resources and funds!!
Baltimore Air Coil
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Our Class
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
What we give
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
Who we help
Raulene and Richard
Donated Computer
Recipients
Raulene Maria
Ester and Charles
(volunteer)
Judy
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872
How we help
 Classroom style and one on one instruction.
 Move clients into the future with knowledge of
hardware, operating systems and applications.
 From the last computer they may have used to the
computer that’s coming out next month!
 Teach valuable skills to assist current needs.(JOBS)
 Bridge the gap, by bringing them up to speed, and give
the tools to keep that speed.
Curriculum : What they learn
 Hardware:
 The 2 Types of computers:
 PC or MAC
 Operating systems:
 XP, VISTA, SEVEN
LINUX
 Applications:
 Types


Embedded, Portable, Online, Virtual, Thinned
And the NEW Cloud!!
Hardware evolution!!
10,000 pounds
4 pounds!
Human evolution: Success
Kimberly & Flora
Applications Certifications of
Completion.
Microsofts Elevate America
Brian D. Bell Parkland College Outreach
Coordinator bbell@parkland.edu 217-373-3872