Voqal’s Director of Telecommunications Strategy is participating in a panel during National Digital Inclusion Alliance‘s Digital Inclusion Week (DIW). Clever, an education company that provides a platform for digital learning, is hosting and moderating (Amie Ninh) the online panel. It will take place at 11:00 a.m. PDT on Thursday, October 7. The conversation is focusing on how resources can be strategically and creatively leveraged to increase digital equity and equitable learning opportunities.
Chief Thomas Jones from Baltimore City Public Schools and Devin Miller from Seattle Public Schools will share innovative practices employed to build digital equity and inclusion for their school communities, with the support of their city municipalities. In addition, Voqal’s Mark Colwell and EducationSuperHighway‘s Ellen Goldich, whose organizations are actively working to narrow the digital divide by providing broadband services, will provide their perspectives on how to leverage low-cost broadband to increase digital equity. Angela Seifer from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance will also be on hand to share her unique perspective on this issue and how it fits into NDIA’s mission.
Digital Inclusion Week 2021 kicked off yesterday and continues through the end of the week. DIW is an annual campaign that recognizes local digital inclusion organizations and special events that promote digital equity across the country. This year’s theme is Pathways to Digital Empowerment.
Voqal strongly believes in the importance of digital equity. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how critical this need is in America. Even with significant funding and efforts to close this gap, there are still about 19 million Americans with no broadband access at home, and an estimated 100 million Americans who have access but choose not to sign up. Cost, lack of a computer or tablet, and lack of digital skills are often cited as reasons for not subscribing. The lack of true digital equity in America is one reason why we created Mobile Citizen ten years ago. Mobile Citizen provides low-cost internet access and devices to schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations often serving low-income individuals and families.
Register for the panel here to join this important conversation about how to increase digital equity and inclusion in schools.