Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative

To close the digital divide in Maine and across the United States.

Digital inclusion is a national priority in the United States and, increasingly, a priority in Maine. High-speed internet access is widely recognized as a necessity for full participation in today’s society. Employers, educators, businesses, healthcare providers, and civic institutions expect people to have access to computers and broadband connectivity. Digital Inclusion comprises Affordable Broadband, Affordable Equipment, Digital Literacy Training, and Public Computer Access. The Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative (MDII) addresses the digital literacy component of Digital Inclusion, which must be addressed to successfully close the digital divide in the United States. It does not matter where you live, nor your economic status or educational attainment—technology is evolving around us at a rapid pace. For Maine and its people to stay competitive in the global economy, it is vital that we engage as many people as possible to learn and embrace digital literacy and technology skills.

The Axiom Education & Training Center (AETC) proposes to enlist 16 AmeriCorps Members and 16 Senior Digital Literacy Instructors who will provide basic computer skills (i.e., digital literacy) instruction throughout the state with two instructors allocated to each of Maine’s 16 counties. At the end of the first program year, digital literacy instruction will be provided to 6,200 disadvantaged adult learners throughout Maine at 234 training sites to improve program participant employability and provide technology training to seniors to help them age in place. 

The MDII program will expand digital literacy services in Maine and improve the economic well-being and security of a disadvantaged target population traditionally underserved by higher education—the un-/under-employed and Maine’s seniors. Digital Literacy is “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills” (American Library Association Office for Information Technology Policy. (2013). “Digital Literacy, Libraries, and Public Policy,” p. 2). These skills are required to participate in the online economy, obtain employment, access information that informs/supports health and wellbeing, promotes independence, and helps reduce social isolation.

    Though there is no national standard—or state or county—measurement of digital literacy available, a highly digitally literate population has been shown to have increased economic prosperity, lower rates of population decline, maintained property value, and greater access to healthcare and education. However, there is data on availability of internet service and rates of adoption (i.e., subscriptions) at the county and census-tract level as collected by the U.S. Census American Community Survey Supplemental section on Internet adoption/use and the FCC’s Form 422 that indicates availability of internet service at varying levels of quality. Data reveals those most economically/educationally disadvantaged, living in rural areas where internet access is weaker, and seniors are most at-risk for having low/no digital skills. Maine’s population is older (5% more residents age 65+ than national average) and more rural (41 residents/square mile vs. national average of 87.4) with fewer services/programs offered vs. more urban areas, placing Maine at a higher risk for a digitally naïve population. 

While much of the attention tends to focus on connecting homes to the internet, another serious concern is emerging… how to leverage the internet beyond the typical uses of email and streaming television content.  Increasingly, homes that have internet do not leverage the full power of that connection and the 1000s of homes that are still waiting for a connection lack the understanding of the capability of an internet connection. 

MDII is devoted entirely on creating digitally literate citizens across Maine and beyond, providing communities with the expertise to mobilize broadband technologies through digital inclusion and literacy efforts. 

Digitally Literate Persons:

• Possesses the variety of skills – technical and cognitive – required to understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a variety of formats;
• Is able to use diverse technologies appropriately and effectively to retrieve information, interpret results, and judge the quality of that information;
• Understands the relationship between technology, life-long learning, personal privacy, and stewardship of information;
• Uses these skills and the appropriate technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, colleagues, family, and on occasion, the general public; and
• Uses these skills to actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant and engaged community.

In the first program year, AETC will track against the following goals:

Goal #1: AmeriCorps Volunteers/Senior Digital Literacy Instructors recruited and retained: 32

Goal #2: Number of AmeriCorps Volunteers/Staff hours of classroom instruction delivered: 17,170

Goal #3: Total number of participants with increased digital literacy skills: 9,640

Goal #4: Hours of community volunteer hours served: 8,160

Goal #5: Number of instruction sessions offered by volunteers: 5,440

Each AmeriCorps Volunteer will recruit 4 Community Volunteers yielding 64 volunteer Digital Literacy instructors that will help the program become self-sustaining after three years. Community Volunteer recruitment will focus on engaging (1) disadvantaged people in service as a means of increasing their employability by developing skills, knowledge, abilities, and evidence of these, and (2) seniors as a means of increasing their social interaction (i.e., decreasing isolation). AmeriCorps Volunteers will provide skills training to Community Volunteers who will assist with participant assessments, scheduling, and classroom instruction and offer one-on-one supplemental training to participants at training sites.

Today’s technology is constantly changing and the need for digital literacy training will be ongoing. The MDII program will create a learning infrastructure to ensure that the program is sustainable and promote lifelong learning.

We have been providing digital literacy training since 2005, going back to the days of AOL and Earth Link and “you’ve got mail” and “who the heck is Microsoft”. Most training has occurred in Washington County, Maine, and the islands and coastal communities. In the past 2-3 years, we have provided digital literacy training to over 8,000 residents and over 1,000 businesses in Maine.

Our target is to reach 10,000 people a year for the next three years. The population we are targeting are unemployed and underemployed and the senior citizen population. The 32 AmeriCorps volunteers and digital literacy instructors will focus on outreach in the communities that they will be assigned. Assisting in our outreach efforts are our collaborative partners are the University of Maine and its seven campuses across the state, and the Maine State Library and its 227 local libraries across Maine. 

Susan Corbett is the MDII Program Manager. Ms. Corbett is a preeminent authority on rural broadband deployment, working closely with municipalities and rural economic development organizations to advance internet and broadband adoption since 2005. Ms. Corbett is a public speaker, educator, and advocate dedicated to providing broadband access and digital literacy to rural communities everywhere.

The Maine Digital Inclusion Coalition Advisory Committee is comprised of local and national Digital Inclusion thought leaders and industry professionals. This group will be available to support the project as well as assist the volunteers and staff with professional network building.

Each AmeriCorps will recruit 4 Community Volunteers yielding 64 volunteer digital literacy instructors that will help the program become self-sustaining after three years. Community Volunteer recruitment will focus on engaging (1) disadvantaged people in service as a means of increasing their employability by developing skills, knowledge, abilities, and evidence of these, and (2) seniors as a means of increasing their social interaction (i.e., decreasing isolation). AmeriCorps Volunteers will provide skills training to Community Volunteers who will assist with participant assessments, scheduling, and classroom instruction as well as offer one-on-one supplemental training at training sites for approximately three hours each week to program participants currently or previously enrolled in the program. Community Volunteers will garner enhanced digital literacy, teaching, and project management skills; improved self-confidence; experience in interpersonal interaction; and become community assets.

Digital Equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy.  Digital Equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services. With proper funding, we believe that we can make a significant impact in helping our citizens gain the skills to compete in a global economy.  

Funding is a significant barrier. We believe that the time is right to roll out a major program to be the most impactful. We believe that our citizens are ready and willing to become technologically proficient.