A major function of AACIS should be not merely the providing of access of public a public database, but the active creation of new knowledge. One way this can be done is through the creation of Community Technology Center's that serve as public spaces where neighborhoods can come together to work on common problems or just to celebrate neighborhood life.
Each Center will have mentors that come from within walking distance of the site. The mentors will teach computer literacy and enable their neighbors use the community database to invent the future.
The centers can be connected for long distance collaborations where the whole region can participation in the creation of solutions to area challenges.
Technology enabled community meetings and workgroups such as below.
Hardware wireless networked computers on wheels, camera, projector, at least one multimedia workstation, removable hard drives, server for mirroring workstations, receiver for digitized stuff from KLRN. Big data files (intense digital information), including interaction with major science and academic institutions from Internet 2, will be broadcast by KLRN-TV. This will make it possible for people in remote or poorly wired places to participate.
Access to this should be free but some of the expenses can be recovered by small user fees. Fees could match the cost of expendables such as paper and ink.
The best way to teach the use of technology is to energize curiosity by creating community web projects such
- neighborhood web pages and databases
- master plans such a green city projects
- virtual museums of local history and environment
- Apache Creek reclamation project
Mentors who run the Centers should come from the neighborhood and be calm, centered, cheerful, competent.
Shifts - centers should be able to be reconfigured for a variety of purposes such as:
- Class projects
- Community projects
- Technology enabled meetings and workgroups
- High tech hangout
during the experimental phases flexibility is of the utmost importance. the prime function of the first experiments is to find out how people actually will use these centers.
Possible time line ·
- Meeting of CTC advisory Group
- Advisory Group meeting with community activists in area
- Design
- Web Master Jam to kick off TV series
- Continue experiments · June 2001
- evaluate
- start summer project
January 19, 2001 Pleas McNeel
