SUMMARY:

The Digital Literacy Task Force held its fifth meeting on Oct. 5, 2021, and included representatives from multiple sectors interested in resolving the digital divide in the Los Angeles County region. The task force ensued in a conversation to identify strategies to improve access to quality digital skills training, identify the most efficient devices, and split participants into breakout rooms to allow participants to tackle objective gaps. Lastly, the Devices Task Force merged into the Digital Literacy Task Force.

Discussion

Inquiry for participants to respond to the following questions via jam board: What can you do over the next 12 months to improve quality or access to digital skills training?

• Parent University Workshops

• Ongoing workshops for school staff

• Free parent workshops using PBS kids’ content

• Curating a resource list to share with others

LA DEAL Task Forces status update:

Devices Task Force

• Held a discussion to identify the goals and objectives to measure digital skills.

• Which devices are good for specific applications?

• Ownership model→ purchased or lease

• Access to tech support

• Hardware literacy support to understand devices and modems

• Build trust with the community to connect with the end-user

Policy and Advocacy Task Force

The task force is likely to have fewer meetings given the dormant legislative cycle. During this time, it will concentrate on developing its guiding principles to inform future advocacy efforts.

Affordability Task Force

It will likely conclude within a couple of months and soon after expect to develop its final set of recommendations and help inform the role of affordability within infrastructure, policy, and digital literacy.

Infrastructure Task Force

Continuing to meet → CPUC Rulemaking Process is happening to inform the allocation of $6 billion. All reply comments are due by Oct. 15, 2021, and the comments for the Judge’s questions are due by Oct. 29, 2021.

Digital Literacy Task Force goals and objectives:

• Goal 1: Greater Access for Digital Skills Training to Meet Demand:

• Understand how individuals learn about available programming

• User-friendly, centralized repository of training opportunities

• Greater case management and coordination among providers

• Leveraging City, Municipal and County Departments to disseminate information about opportunities (Central Depository)

• Goal 2 High-Quality Digital Skills Training:

• Understand how individuals leverage digital skills training – design-centered thinking

• Champion culturally, age, linguistically appropriate curriculum, materials, training

• Support workforce development for a greater demand in digital skills training

• Promote training that meets individual’s goals

Are we missing any objectives?

• We have to call out accessible people who need to know how to use the accessibility feature on Windows, Android, etc. There has to be digital literacy training specific to this issue. Apps develop and then retrofit to accommodate user needs, but it is not the best way to give them a positive experience. Can add this issue to goal 2.

• Digital skills training (South LA Vision Lab) training for entrepreneurs (Goal 1 and objective D) and leveraging existing efforts such as CHIRLA.

• Embed research-based to high-quality term

• Ensure that these are data-informed and collect KPIs data along the way

Breakouts rooms of four groups to discuss assigned objectives for 10 mins:

• Group 1

• Objective 1 and 2:

• Greater access for digital skills: utility bills, smartphone to access QR code

• Surveys of current participants in the programs, whether it be linked form or paper → Cal fresh and other social services where people go to for assistance

• Objective 2: Utilize LA deal for training as a centralized repository of information.

Time ran out, so the co-chairs requested that all meeting notes be submitted for the remaining breakout groups to share at the November meeting.

The Digital Literacy & Devices Task Force meets virtually monthly and includes education, health, nonprofit, education, business, city municipalities, and internet service providers. To learn more, visit: ladeal.org/events.

Meeting #6 is scheduled for Nov. 2, 2021.

Updated: Nov 1, 2021