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OHIO GUBENATORIAL CANDIDATE'S PLATFORM INCLUDES $5 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGYSubmitted by OCCN on Fri, 2006-03-24 18:32.
Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Ted Strickland recently announced a campaign platform that will include $5 million for Community Technology Projects. This nationally unprecedented figure marks a great success for OCCN (Ohio Community Computing Network-- http://www.ohioccn.org ), an Ohio nonprofit with member sites around the state. The success can be attributed to policy work done by the ODDWG (Ohio Digital Divide Working Group--a group formed out of OCCN's involvement in the hearings before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio of the AT&T/SBC merger and the Verizon/MCI merger). Community Technology Projects may be defined as efforts by community members to increase access to technology and technology education--efforts that are increasingly important as technology becomes ever more entwined in our lives. Strickland announced his platform on March 13th during an event at the Rainbow Terrace Learning Center, a Cleveland Community Technology Center. Strickland's broadband platform includes the following: "Modeled on successful programs such as the Cuyahoga Community College's project at Rainbow Terrace, and over 300 community technology centers (CTCs)statewide, this program will mobilize CTCs with hands-on staff support and join them with the online learning resources of the Ohio Learning Network and the Ohio College Access Network. Using the base program E4ME, a free online course, this program will in its pilot phase serve 10,000 learners statewide with life skills coaching, basic computer and GED classes, while channeling successful learners into pathways for further advancement through community and technical colleges and other career training enterprises. It will provide individuals with hands-on counseling to take them from the informal learning environment of a CTC to open doors to higher education and formal certification. Implementing this program is estimated to be an annual investment of at least $5 million. The program will be paid for with savings gained by reforming state procurement of network connectivity." To read the Columbus Dispatch article on the announcement of Congressman Strickland's broadband platform .... ( categories: Media )
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