EdChoice’s Post

Charleston County Public Library is working to address the digital divide and gaps in literacy in the County, and we need the community's help! The library is launching a public survey to collect better understand the community's digital and technology skills and needs. This survey, available in paper and online, will have a vital impact on the technology programs and services CCPL offers at each library location and through its outreach services. “Technology is constantly changing, and we are in the process of changing along with it,” says CCPL Technology Coordinator Andrew Dombrowski. “This survey will help us understand how we can best serve and guide our community through this constantly evolving digital landscape.” Like many areas of the U.S., Charleston County is facing issues with equitable access to digital connectivity and services. According to data published in 2023, just over 20% of Charleston County households (32,861 households) do not have internet subscriptions. This digital gap is greater than many other counties in South Carolina, including Berkley, Dorchester, Greenville and Richland. “While there has been improvement in broadband access in Charleston, there are still too many members of our community that lack high speed internet,” says Dombrowski. “With 18 locations spread throughout Charleston and providing Wi-Fi and computer device access, the library is uniquely positioned to help areas of the community that have not historically had access.” This survey will help the library identify areas of need within the County including the types of services and programs, including course topics and training needs for library staff. Using this information, CCPL will target its resources to have the most impact on residents. The brief survey can be completed online at ccpl.org/techsurvey. Paper copies (English and Spanish language) are also available at any open library location (for a full list, including operating hours, visit ccpl.org/branches). For a list of current tech programs and services available at your local library, visit ccpl.org/calendar or contact the branch.

Organisations will all be posting their suggestions for the new government and sending these off to new ministers for attention. And library orgs are no different. But nothing written to a new minister in the next couple of months is going to be read, let alone remembered. Some of them will still be buying their uniforms and things. It doesn’t stop us doing it though! What should be big priorities for public libraries and digital transformation? 1. Announce permanent investment for LibraryOn, run by the The British Library. But not only a single digital presence, a skilled digital team to serve all National digital needs (the classic ‘GDS for libraries’) 2. Affirm a priority for high quality open data from public libraries. Enforce standards, and put a team in place with responsibility to lead data publishing and maintenance. Set up financial incentives for publishing. Maybe Arts Council England or Libraries Connected 3. Provide funding to support the extension of Public Lending Right loans data so that it covers all library services, all the time. Make the data update every night, and make it open data. These things would: - assign reponsibility for continuous digital transformation and innovation - enhance the digital presence of libraries on a permanent basis - make the most important dataset on usage comprehensive and useful to the whole reading sector - enable innovation from inside and outside the sector

Digital literacy is the bedrock of an informed society, empowering individuals to navigate the complexities of the digital world with confidence and critical thinking.

Three things define ZAF in 2024! 1. Systems Change ZAF is putting more effort to engage, co-create, and collaborate with the system (Government). The key is to work at scale, considering that the government is responsible for educating all children and youth. ZAF now works closely with the system to build the momentum for change, to identify the root causes of the problems, and encourage agencies to work together towards common goals and to have a broader view of the problems. 2. Collective Impact ZAF scaled up her convening power and localization edge while building on the evidence-use in education work that she has been leading since 2021. ZAF now uses ways that push and accelerate learnings collectively. A special mention must be made of the EE4A Conference that was held at Tom Mboya University in Homa Bay County, which brought together key policymakers and key academic/educational institutions, as well as the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI). A major learning for ZAF was that we cannot achieve the impact we desire on our own, so concerted efforts were necessary towards movement building and connecting with each other/other organizations to reach the millions of children that she hopes to change their story. 3. Growth Towards a Pass-Through Organization Varied efforts were made towards positioning ZAF as an organization that supports the mutual growth of other organizations. ZAF worked and continues to work with partners and positions them in a way that they can contribute towards the change she desires. Overall, we now see ourselves on the path towards a pass-through organization that other organizations can work with for collective impact. Indeed, that ZAF is now emerging as a mid-sized regional organization, in Sub-Sahara Africa, is no mean achievement. In 2024, our aspirations are set above the bar in a bid to make a greater impact on the lives of all children and youth. To boost her visibility and impact, this year ZAF aims to: • Strengthen the leadership capacities of the senior management team (directors) for effective organizational management and commitment to ZAF’s vision. • Enhance her compliance with all the relevant legislations and regulations regarding her operation, research operating • procedures such as data protection and enhancing capacities for evidence synthesis and translation of research within the organization. • Strengthen evidence-led advocacy and enhance strategic partnerships by influencing the public, policy, and media space to achieve and sustain strategic organizational goals and articulate her story. • Expand her capacity as a pass-through, to support other organizations in the target countries to deliver collective impact. To know more, kindly read the 2023-Annual Report attached here

Curious about the Designing for Equity tool and want to get the inside scoop from the source? We’ve got you covered. Enjoy this interview with Hadley Moore and one of the creators, Clarissa McKithen. Learn more about the “why” and the “how” of the Nationwide Education Policy Scan and then explore the tool yourself. What stands out to you? https://lnkd.in/eWpbH4YA #equityineducation #accesstoeducation

Digital education doesn’t need to be fancy to be effective. It just needs to reach everyone. By thinking outside the box, we can empower communities to thrive with the skills they need, wherever they are. Let’s rethink accessibility and make digital literacy limitless.

The 2024 NETP frames key divides limiting the potential of educational technology, including: Digital Use, Digital Design, and Digital Access. https://tech.ed.gov/netp/

Request for 5 minutes of your time I am conducting two surveys (one technical and one non-technical) on IT in schools and colleges to better understand the state of EdTech - infrastructure and end user devices - across schools and colleges. Conversations with schools, colleges and Trusts over the last few years have highlighted the huge disparity between, and within, sectors. Mainly for my own interest and to support the work I currently do with schools and Trusts etc (and perhaps support future work), I have created a survey I hope many of you will complete. I will collate all the findings and publish them in the autumn for anyone interested in the outcomes, hopefully with some interim findings before the start of the new academic term. The survey is anonymous, but for those who give their email address at the end of the survey, I will share a bespoke version with your results, benchmarked against the overall results. Any results I share or publish will be aggregated and anonymous with the main purpose of this research to support the sector in understanding where we are, and hopefully begin discussions about technology in our schools and colleges, and how to overcome problems the survey highlights. The survey focuses predominantly on infrastructure, connectivity and end user devices. One survey is technical to gather some granular data and one is higher level (and less technical) for staff and senior leadership, to gather data from a different perspective. The survey is not limited to just state schools/colleges, nor those just in England. If you are from a Trust (or school group) if you can pick a "typical" school or two that would be great. Non-Technical version - https://lnkd.in/dG_VvtHj Technical version - https://lnkd.in/dKpC7RuH Many thanks to Emma Darcy from The Digital Futures Group and Rick C. from the ANME - Association of Network Managers in Education for their input into the survey and ensuring that it made more sense than it did at the start.

In today's rapidly changing educational landscape, the funding for extracurricular programs is receiving a much-needed boost through innovative software solutions. As schools face increasing financial challenges, technology is revolutionizing how institutions secure necessary support. This transformation not only enhances fundraising efforts but also ensures that students continue to benefit from enriched educational experiences. Discover more about this important shift in the funding model here: https://okt.to/ADcWmb

In the fast-evolving world of education, funding for extracurricular activities is being revitalized by innovative software solutions. As schools confront growing financial pressures, technology is changing how they obtain essential resources. This shift not only improves fundraising strategies but also guarantees that students can enjoy enhanced educational experiences. Learn more about this significant transformation in funding models here: https://okt.to/FX2piy