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 PEC Center for Digital Inclusion and Technology

November 01st, 2016

11/1/2016

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PEC’s Digital Inclusion (DI) program has been lucky enough to bring on Dre Reed as the new Computer Instructor this fall and Nathan Kuruna as Program Coordinator. Reed is fresh from graduating from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Animation, one of the University’s most challenging majors. Kuruna has been a computer instructor at PEC and other institutions since 2011.
On contemplating why he took the job here in PEC’s DI program, Reed and Kuruna gave a little person history. “Back in 2009, I took the DI high school after school class and it made the internet accessible to me the first time. I got my first computer here too.” Not only is Reed giving back to the same program that launched him into the tech world, but Reed says “I realize the impact on each person coming into the program here- it can really help. The internet helps people find jobs, apply to them, and I show people how to do that!” 

Nathan Kuruna also recognizes the impact that the program can have on people and the community. He will be enabling Reed to have the things he needs for the classes, managing the program’s data, bringing information about the program out to the community, and putting pieces in place for the program. In past years, Kuruna has also taught the adult Computer and Internet classes here in PEC’s DI program.

The Digital Inclusion program’s goal is the make technology accessible to everyone through teaching computer and internet skills, introduce free or low-cost internet options to households, and upon graduation from the classes, each student receives a free or low-cost device. Reed emphasized the importance of keeping his students in the loop on the newest technology. The tech world moves fast and no one should be left behind if they don’t want to be. “We’re that first step that will introduce you to that big world of technology.” 

Reed will be teaching numerous classes this fall including the Tech Stars Afterschool program, Tech Stars Mini Course and Adult Computer and Internet classes levels 1, 2 and 3. In the spring, DI will also be hosting the Teen Technology Network program.  Keep up to date with PEC’s DI program by contacting Nathan Kuruna at nkuruna@pec-cares.org.
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Technology Programs Thriving

1/20/2016

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​The Center for Digital Inclusion & Technology(CDIT) is under new management. And with the enthusiasm of our new team members, we enjoyed a successful Fall semester of innovative and inspiring programming. The new program managers, Phil Waller and Jeannine Cook, have recently developed and reconfigured our youth classes into an academy model that allows youth to progress from class to class. The hope behind the new structure is that students will acquire digital and creative skills for 21st century success, adding value to their portfolios and to the economic and cultural wealth of our West Philadelphia community.
 
 One of the exciting new projects underway at CDIT is our apprenticeship program, Village Amp. The Village Amplifiers run a full service branding company contracting with businesses along the Lancaster Ave corridor. In addition to Village Amp, this term our eight year old Teen Technology Network morphed into the Digital Organizers—a name the youth chose for themselves. In partnership with the Slought Foundation, Digital Organizers produced deep and meaningful photo essays about issues in our communities including drug addiction, homophobia, and youth gun violence. Lastly our Comcast Digital Connectors began entrepreneurial digital media projects including one student developing her own self-warming tie-dye sock company, Tye Me Down.
 
The Fall term culminated in the highly digitized showcase—Art(Official) Intelligence. The event showcased all of the CDIT youth programs: Tech Stars, Digital Organizers, Village Amp and Comcast Digital Connectors exhibiting photography, videos, music, food stands, and fashion design. Over 100 came out to the showcase hosted at Indigo Bleu Design and Culture Center. We had special guest from Channel 6 Action News, Comcast, and United Healthcare Systems. The CDIT staff and students were pleased with the turnout of the event which created a greater sense of unity between the youth in all of the programs. Art(Official) Intelligence was another way that CDIT is equipping and inspiring young people to succeed in a digital world.
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Tech St@rs Take Home Tablets

6/16/2015

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The Tech St@rs: Digital Design graduates pose with their new tablets.
Last week for the first time PEC’s Center for Digital Inclusion and Technology distributed brand new tablets at a program graduation. The recipients were the latest group of fifth and sixth graders who graduated from the Tech St@rs: Digital Design program, which teaches introductory concepts in graphic design and computer programming.

CDIT has been committed to distributing technology resources since its founding in 2003. One of the early teen programs taught students how to build their own computer, and at the end, they got to keep it. That model reflects CDIT’s mission to build twenty-first century skills and provide access to technology in the home.

Usually CDIT distributes refurbished desktop computers to its graduates, but to be eligible to participate in Tech St@rs: Digital Design students had to have completed CDIT’s compute basics program. That means they already received desktops when they graduated the first time, so CDIT devised a new way to reward these students’ continuing excellence: tablets.
Although the tablets built up the excitement at the graduation party, the students were the real stars of the night. Their parents came together to share a meal and see samples of their children’s work. Each student shared simple video games and animations they created and showed the code behind their games. Mrs. Claudia, the instructor, also passed around flyers the students designed in Photoshop. Many of the flyers, which advertised Tech St@rs, featured the students’ photography.

At the end of the night, the students took home their new tablets while parents beamed with pride as they celebrated their students’ accomplishments.

To learn more about Tech St@rs: Digital Design and other free computer programs, call 267-777-5860 or email di@pec-cares.org. 
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CIC Spring Graduation

5/4/2015

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“We work[ed] together, we made it happen, we made each other proud. I think we are proud of each other, even tonight.” –CIC Graduate



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“The best thing to do is keep moving up. Don’t think you’re stuck in a rut. Just keep moving up.” 
–CIC Graduate

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“I learned how to do my own flyers. I don’t have to ask nobody or wait for nobody two weeks later to get a flyer. I can do my own letters, I can do my own spreadsheets—I can do a whole lot.” 
–CIC Graduate

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“And we are going to the next program, to the next program, and we will get the knowledge to help the community.” –CIC Graduate



On Thursday, April 18th, CDIT’s Computer and Internet classes gathered at Rowan House to celebrate graduating from the 12 week program. Students dressed to the nines, eager to celebrate together all their hard work. Certificates were presented by CIC instructor Kwaku Boateng and Comcast’s VP of Community Investment, Bob Smith. The ceremony then transitioned into a time of sharing from students whose work was featured on the Wall of Excellence. Students shared of their gratitude in being a part of the course. Many shared of their excitement to be able to teach others in their communities what they had learned, their confidence level in computer literacy greatly increasing over the course of the class.  Business owners from LA21, Lancaster Avenue’s business association were also in attendance to announce the winner of the newsletter design competition. Belinda Patrick’s design was chosen as the winner; her design will be used as the template for future LA21 newsletters. The evening concluded with a shared meal and time for photographs. In total 33 students graduated from the program. The summer session of CIC classes will begin the week of May 4th, with many students returning to participate in the next level of classes.



     Congrats CIC Grads! 
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Tech St@rs Use Tablets to Learn

12/4/2014

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In a classroom at Martha Washington Elementary School in West Philadelphia, fourth- and fifth-grade students sat at desks around the room hunched over tablets, swiping and tapping the devices while watching interactive videos. One might assume that they were playing Temple Run or Subway Surfer, but these students were learning about such topics as internet safety and how to build a slideshow presentation.

Normally, the group of nine students meets at the Families First KEYSPOT computer lab, outfitted with desktop computers, each with an external mouse and keyboard. In the Tech St@rs after school program, they watch engaging video lessons and learn how to type, use email, browse the web, and use basic Microsoft Office applications, all in an effort to better prepare them to thrive in a society that takes those skills for granted.  To the students, using tablets was a treat.

 But not all of them loved the experience. When asked, “How many of you had fun using the tablets today instead of a desktop?” there were mixed responses. Some loved the new, fun technology but others were frustrated, especially when they had to type answers to questions.

Indeed, part of the lesson was in understanding the limitations of tablets. “My goal is to teach students how the computer works and what kind of computers we know, but most important how it can be adapted to their education needs,” says instructor Claudia Trani Melgar. “Some devices can be better than others.” Tablets, Claudia commented, “are easy to use and offer a variety of applications that can be engaging, fun, and educational at the same time.”

But tablets have limitations, too. For example, the students were excited to use a touchscreen keyboard at first, but after a few minutes they asked to switch to an external keyboard, which can be much more efficient. That’s why students in Tech St@rs learn typing skills. “[T]hese new skills on a keyboard can show students how to type faster and create documents,” which is harder on a tablet.

But in many other cases, the simplified format of a tablet makes it easier to use, and, as Claudia notes, “Most importantly kids love them!”


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Tech St@r Alum Spotlight: Nicholas

11/3/2014

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Nicholas and Nasha at a Second Friday event off of Lancaster Ave.
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“I met Nasha two Jazz Festivals ago,” he said, looking to the ceiling as he recalled. “Yeah. It was two Jazz Festivals ago.”

I had the joy of sitting across from Nicholas, an alum of our Tech St@rs program who frequents the Center for Digital Inclusion and Technology (CDIT) a few times a week. Nicholas was relaying how he became involved in Tech Stars through meeting Nasha, a former CDIT staff member, at the People’s Emergency Center’s annual Jazz Festival.

“I was hoping to be in a computer class because I liked technology. And then I met Nasha and she said that ‘we have a computer class called Tech St@rs if you’re interested—here’s my information.’ So then I said ‘Yes,’ and then every day after that day I kept buggin’ Nasha about the information.”

I laughed as he relayed how he got an application form and lost it, having to get another form not one more time, but two more times. His relaying of his persistence to be a part of our Tech St@rs program, an after-school program for 4th-6th graders that focuses on bridging the digital divide, stood out to me.

“I chose [Tech St@rs] because I was just a kid in the neighborhood with nothin’ really to do so I did that to keep me occupied.” He communicated about the lack of after-school programs in the area, and his desire for programs to be a part of so he had something to do and “not be bored.”  

It has been one year since Nicholas became connected with CDIT. After completing our Tech St@rs program in fall 2013, Nicholas completed the summer session of Tech St@rs in 2014. Upon completing the summer session of Tech St@rs, he continued to stop by the CDIT, his initiative leading staff to create an after-school internship with him.

“This place is helping me complete my goals because I need to do my homework to achieve my goals and I don’t do homework like at all so they’re helping me with my homework.” He also talked about learning the upper rows and lower rows—keyboarding skills--
in Tech St@rs and how that has helped him at school in his technology class.

Some of our students join Tech St@rs because they desire to learn skills for the computer, others because they want to earn a free desktop computer for their homes. Even others, like Nicholas, join as a means to find something to do and end up finding a community that lasts far beyond the actual 12 weeks of the program.

Sitting across from Nicholas, I was reminded once again that the CDIT is not only a department that is committed to bridging the digital divide, but it is also a space where community is built through programming.



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Amber Cullen is the Program Coordinator at the Center for Digital Inclusion and Technology. She is a current Mission Year Team Member, and is interested in conflict transformation as a tool to build peace and work towards reconciliation in our local communities, nation, and world.

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First Cohort of Tech St@rs: Digital Design Graduate

9/4/2014

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Last week nine middle schoolers graduated from a summer program at CDIT focused on digital design. It was the first program of its kind, teaching the basics of PhotoShop, an industry standard in graphic design, and Scratch, a computer programming language developed by MIT to make coding accessible and easy to learn.

The graduates gave five-minute presentations explaining their final projects, most of them video games they created in Scratch. Playing the game briefly before the audience of about thirty family members and friends, they then explained the code upon which the game operated. The Tech St@rs showed how they pieced together different commands and created images, or costumes, to display in a chain of cause-and-effect events. The games varied in content, from classic target-shooting games to navigating a maze of "bad guys," to boxing matches. 

"Superman went bad, so Batman has to hit him with Kryptonite batarangs," explained Tech St@r Kyle Lark in his presentation. His game featured Batman standing on the roof of a building. Players have to guide the batarang, Batman's boomerang-like weapon of choice, to hit Superman, who flies around at random on the screen. The background of the game was complete with the iconic Batman symbol and clouds--Kyle's creations--because, as he put it, "It's always cloudy in Gotham."

In addition to a new set of design skills, the graduates walked away with a refurbished desktop computer for completing the program. CDIT awards all youth graduates with refurbished computers. Many of the graduates discussed continuing to work on Scratch and Pixlr, the free version of PhotoShop, on their new personal computers. 

Click here to watch a video of Tech St@r Jeremiah Dixon explaining the game he created.  (The video was created by CDIT's summer Diginterns, a group of five high school students who completed the TTN: Media Making program and continued in CDIT's paid internship to create over ten short videos this summer.)

If you are interested in CDIT's free digital literacy programs for youth or adults, please contact di@pec-cares.org or call 267-777-5860.

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Computer Class Graduates Use New Skills in Presentations

8/19/2014

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Seven students in CDIT's Intermediate Computer and Internet Class (CIC) for adults delivered PowerPoint presentations Monday night. The students have met for two and a half hours on Monday evenings for twelve weeks, learning the Microsoft Office applications Excel, Word, Publisher, and Powerpoint. The presentation was designed to be a culminating final project incorporating all the skills they had learned.

Student picked the topics of their presentations, and they varied greatly. Some students used the opportunity to promote their business, others to pitch their business proposals, complete with SWOT analyses. Some used the presentation to share about their interests and hobbies, for instance the pets of the White House over history or Pennsylvania deer hunting.

Students utilized animations, music clips, and exciting fonts to create engaging presentations. To meet the requirements of incorporating Excel and Publisher material, they imported charts, graphs, and shapes to augment their text slides. The instructor of the class, Kwaku Boateng, remarked that the presentations were inspiring and informational. He predicted that student Belinda Patrick's presentation on her music business would propel her to fame. Even if that comes true, Patrick says "I'll never forget these computer classes." 

The students will graduate on Tuesday, August 19 along with over twenty other students completing the Intro and Beginner CIC classes. To learn more about the free classes, call 267-777-5860 or email di@pec-cares.org. 
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Adults Use Summer to Learn Computer Skills

7/7/2014

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Summer is usually considered a time to take a break from learning, but for the adults in CDIT's Community Computer Class (CCC), summer is a time to keep learning new skills. The introductory computer classes are offered at three levels--basic, beginner, and intermediate--and meet on weekday afternoons and evenings at the Families First KEYSPOT in West Philadelphia. 

Almost half of this summer's students don't own a computer at home, and most of them had used a computer fewer than 10 times before they applied, some fewer than five times. Now they use a computer one or two times a week during the two-hour classes. They learn topics such as the parts of a computer, typing skills, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), browsing the Internet, social media, and email. 

The classes are in high demand. "We usually don't have to advertise very much. People learn about our classes by word of mouth," explains CDIT manager Nasha Taylor. Students love the instructor, Kwaku Boateng, who enjoys seeing his students gain new job opportunities through their computer skills. Howard Arnold, a student in the beginner class, recently received a new home computer where he puts his new skills to use. "When you start seeing things you can do for yourself, the world busts wide open for you," he says in reference to what he learned in the class.

Howard and other students also take advantage of the Open Access Hours at the Families First KEYSPOT to practice their new skills. The lab is open to the community four days a week. In addition to job seekers, students come in to do homework and explore the new applications they learn in class. CDIT's lab assistant, Shirley Brendlinger, helps the students complete their homework. "He moves very fast," she says of Boateng, "but he teaches them how to take great notes so they can continue to practice."

CDIT keeps a running list of people interested in CCC. If you want to join the fall cohort or want to use the Families First KEYSPOT, email di@pec-cares.org or call 267-777-5860 for more information.
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Howard Arnold (standing) assists a classmate working on CCC homework during Open Access Hours in the Families First KEYSPOT.
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CDIT Alum Shares College Plans

6/5/2014

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A graduate of CDIT's Comcast Digital Connectors program stopped by recently to share what he's up to now. Carlos Delgado entered the summer 2010 Digital Connectors cohort as the youngest in his class but finished the program with the highest Tech Support assessment score. After completing the program, Carlos interned at CDIT helping out with office administration, tech support, and computer refurbishment. 

A freshman when he first got involved at PEC, Carlos will soon graduate from George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science. Before heading off to college, we asked him to come share about his future plans and how his time at CDIT impacted them. 

He reflected on the importance of having a computer at home and gaining access to the Internet, which was essential for him to develop many of his interests. "The Internet is important for everything we do," he said. Carlos used the Internet to learn about things as diverse as dieting and healthy eating to how to play guitar. He used Youtube videos and a website called Ultimate-Guitar.com to learn how to play his favorite songs. Now he plays and is the lead singer in a rock band, writing some songs of his own. Carlos is also a hardcore gamer, usually on his Playstation but occasionally on the computer he received for completing the Comcast Digital Connectors program.

In the fall Carlos will attend West Chester University, studying music education and earning a teaching certification. To continue to explore his tech interests, he is considering a minor in computer science as well. CDIT is excited to send another alum to college with computer literacy that enhances and deepens students' passions!


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Carlos (second from left) poses with CDIT staff Nasha (left), Nathan (second from right), and Tan (right).
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