1. Supporting digital equity and digital literacy in communities
Burnaby Literacy Now
Suzanne Smythe, Faculty of Education. Simon Fraser University

2. What is digital equity and digital literacy?
What is Canada’s policy to support digital learning?
Digital access and literacy research in Burnaby and Canada
What are we learning about teaching digital literacy programs?
What does digital access and literacy look like in Burnaby? What are possible actions?

3. What is digital equity?
Equitable access to the Internet, to digital education and to working devices; Access in BC is limited by low affordability, weak public infrastructure and lack of access to adult education; Digital inequality creates and is connected to other inequalities.

4. What is digital literacy?
“Carrying out everyday life and work activities using new technologies” OpenMedia, 2016; Awareness of technologies and what they do; Keyboarding and mouse (haptic) skills to use the tools; Critical interpretation of online information; Awareness of the benefits and drawbacks of an online life: privacy, surveillance, safety, choice.

5. Why is digital literacy and digital equity important?

6. DIGITAL DIVIDE
Not a helpful metaphor. Things are more complicated.

7. “Access” is complicated:
Affordability
Access to devices
Appropriate and timely education
Access is not a status or one-time event; people move in and out of access

8. Canadian digital policy: Made for model users

9. “Today more than 93% of British Columbians have access to high speed Internet.”
-Government of BC
(This does not mean 93% of British Columbians HAVE high speed affordable Internet in their homes). The CRTC have identified concerns over affordability and connectivity. For example:
25% of Canadians say that literacy is a barrier to using the Internet (CRTC, 2016).

10. “Digital distancing”
‘I never thought people would not have the Internet’
‘If people can afford a cell phone they are obviously not that poor’
‘The Internet and a cell phone are luxuries and lifestyle choices’
‘Once people are connected to the Internet they can learn to use computers by trial and error’.

11. Affordability
58% of households with incomes of $30,000 or less have home Internet access. This contrasts with households with incomes of more than $87,000 – the top bracket in the study – of whom enjoy 97% home Internet access. -Statistics Canada, 2013.

12. Affordability as complex choices
The local organizations found that their clients would be more willing to cut other household expenses, including food, clothing and health expenses, rather than cancel their communications services. MoneyWise and the Old Age Pensioners Organization said that their clients would likely cut other household expenses such as food or clothing in order to retain their communications services. -- PIAC, 2015, p. 70
Some people have access to the Internet at home but old or malfunctioning devices they are unable to use.
Others have no one to help them with digital tasks even when they have the latest devices.
Many Canadians sacrifice other basic needs for an Internet connection.
Cannot afford Internet access at home
Have no computer at home (or have an older device they cannot use)
Have limited English language skills (an issue when online services are in English-only)
Cannot afford mobile phones compatible with wireless
Must engage in consumption and bureaucratic tasks (applying for jobs, government services).

13. National research project on Internet privacy N = 66

16. Digital literacy education landscape
Vital role of public libraries (e.g. City of Vancouver Digital Strategy)
Offers a range of classes that respond to community interests;
Offers just in time drop-in tech cafés
Issues of capacity, time and access in Burnaby
Literacy-informed digital education works best with adult education methods and consistency in relationships, pedagogies.

17. Ethnographic study of adult digital learning in the community
The Digital CAFE

18. Digital café people
Over 100 unique visits; 27 as ‘regulars’ (3 months or more); Between ages of 23 – 83 (70% between 45-75; Grade 8 to Post-Secondary (majority have some secondary school education); 50% unemployed, looking for work and/or receive social assistance; Retirees, local families; Referred by government employment agencies
Trade tools with people around you and put your hands on the device. What does it feel like? Can you type a text or send an proficiently?

19. Access and proficiency are connected: People need practice to ‘get used to’ keyboards and layout, the mouse
Trade a tool with your partner and make as if you want to send an

20. Design: Passwords are places of conflict and struggle
The places of entanglement, intensities, disruptions: usually when many things were happening at once, gesturing, raised voices, holding breath, red warnings on the screen.
It was always around passwords and accounts to get access to pretty much everyting on the interent
Literacy, keyboarding skills and familiarty and income are entangled:
These were often during mundane practices, such as entering and verifying passwords
Design: Passwords are places of conflict and struggle

22. E-government: ‘pushing people online’

24. Online job applications create barriers for people with little digital access
FED EX

25. ACCESS TO DIGITAL LITERACY IN VANCOUVER
50 interviews with insecurely housed and homeless citizens

26. The LinkVan project
Linkvan is a project of the Downtown Eastside Literacy Roundtable. Literacy-friendly app with information about local services. Linkvan.ca

27. Responses to the LinkVan app:
Being homeless is very time consuming. If the website says that there are showers, I would like to know what time those showers are available.

28. Sometimes it’s hard to find help when you need it
Sometimes it’s hard to find help when you need it. And it’s much easier if you can get to a computer to just…do it that way. It’s getting to a computer that’s sometimes difficult.

38. What are we Learning aBout Supporting digital literacy?

39. Access, equity, design and literacy
‘Digital literacy’ problems are often created through poorly designed websites and software. Most interfaces are designed for ‘model users’ not low income or homeless citizens; We need to pay attention to the digital landscape in each community: How people get online, where barriers exist, who they effect. People who rely upon public access computing and who must apply for government services/employment experience higher barriers to access than those who have access to their own device and Internet at home; Digital access is always changing: Access can change as housing, employment and income changes, so an ongoing approach to digital literacy is needed Being online should be about pleasure as well as ‘getting things done.’

40. Implications for teaching and learning
Learning has most impact when it is ongoing, relationship-based and collaborative
Doing with vs doing for
Who holds the mouse?
Critical digital literacy: Teach back doors, work arounds, healthy skepticism and how things are designed rather than just “how to” do this or that.

41. Questions to guide digital policy and pedagogy?
Who decides who should be online? Who decides and designs online experiences for whom? How can devices, websites (user experiences) and digital landscapes be designed to meet the needs of ‘invisible users’? If access to the Internet is now a basic right in Canada, what is the role of community groups, literacy organizations and government agencies in creating an equitable digital landscape?

42. For Discussion: What does digital access and literacy look like in Burnaby? What are possible actions?