Commitment

During recent trips to Medellin, Colombia and Merida, Mexico I was fortunate to experience the commitment to a society of open access and digital fluency - a sustained commitment by leaders in every sector to their people so they can thrive in an age rapidly evolving with each new innovation. 

The trips highlighted similar needs and opportunities with initiatives in the United States and Canada. In many ways we are all focused on realizing digital dividends so critical for economic development. National, regional and local commitments are making a difference - and collaborations of institutions are essential to sustaining efforts. In Medellin and in the town of El Carmen private and public leaders in government, education, entrepreneurship and technology are partnering with the Marina Orth Foundation to build a generation prepared in English, robotics, technical support, and coding. Their ties go back to the 1960's. In Merida, Mexico the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, sustained by local government and national relationships, has realized exponential growth over the last three decades as it evolved from providing very few library services of any consequence to providing a network of multi-purpose learning facilities with many times more resources, including a global digital network of information and an expert staff excited to further their education in masters and doctoral programs. They too see the need for education, technology and information science skills in the 21st century.

The amazing Colombian people are working together to create opportunities after years of violence and in direct support of the peace process.  They are embracing digital fluency as essential to their society's path forward. While there is much to be done, the commitment exists in Colombia through initiatives such as Ruta N, mayor’s and foundations. In Mexico, innovation is what got them to where they are today based on a shared goal to create an informed and digitally empowered society. Given the scarcity of resources these cities have engaged everyone in creating the future - including students who are contributing their knowledge in augmented reality, new coding programs, and peer mentoring. These two visits were inspiring in their longterm commitment to a goal, their agility in innovating and building on their successes, and the community's engagement.

Closer to home, we have two differing approaches to our longterm commitment to an informed and digitally fluent society that can change with what will for certain be a time of massive disruption based on technological advances. Canada's national commitment to 50G broadband access across the country is a huge step forward for a geographically vast country with a dispersed population.  The FCC’s faltering commitment to broadband in every school and library could really change the progress we have made to date. Collaborative efforts by anchor institutions such as public libraries, schools and municipal governments, technology companies, and foundations will become even more critical. 

Of course there are many obstacles to information access and digital fluency whether in Medellin, Colombia or New York City, USA. It's the ongoing commitment and openness to innovation that seems to be, at least part of, the solution. We know for sure that access is not enough.  While still absent for just over half of the worlds population, access on its own is like pointing someone to the ocean and asking them to swim. Just as soon as we we learn one thing, we need to learn something new.  Learning to learn is an essential 21st century skill. Digital fluency goes beyond access - it makes access a benefit.

Digital fluency - and resulting digital dividends - is a societal endeavor that takes time and requires commitment by people. People commit to broadband access for all.  People commit to understanding and supporting local communities.  People commit to designing and implementing programs in support of digital fluency.  People commit to studying the impact of the digital divide, digital equity, digital inclusion so we can learn and move ahead. People make it happen.

And when it happens - it reminds us why it matters. While metrics tell us what the outputs and outcomes are, what grabs our attention most is child in the mountains around Medellin, for certain touched by the drug wars, with sparkling eyes and smiles that extend from one side of Colombia to the other, coding in Scratch, or demonstrating a walking stick based on sensors that helps sight-impaired people avoid obstacles. Even more heartening is when, uninvited, the child says, "Esto es mi futuro and voy a approvecharlo para vivir una vida major". [This is my future and I am going to learn all I can in order to have a better life] Now that's commitment!

By Mary Lee Kennedy