Connect Chicago

Smart Chicago runs the Connect Chicago website, a listing of more than 250 places in Chicago where you can use a computer for free, and the Connect Chicago meetup group, which is devoted to creating a culture of shared learning in these places.

Connect Chicago Live! 5 Slide Pitches on how to better Connect Chicago

Christopher Whitaker

In our last meetup, we asked you what you wanted to talk about! The idea of “collaboration” came up, and we want to make it happen.

So, we’ll be live streaming 5 Slide Pitches below and keeping meeting notes here.

Once everyone has had a chance to talk, let’s hang out and see how we can support each other. Connect Chicago is here to help all Chicago residents get connected— no matter where you are in the city, on the skills continuum, or in this universe of access and training providers. Let’s talk! You can tweet along at #ConnectChicago as well.

Connect Chicago Five Slide Pitch: Connection and Collaboration

Christopher Whitaker

In our last Connect Chicago Meetup, we asked you what you wanted to talk about! The idea of “collaboration” came up, and we want to make it happen.

So in our next meetup on March 21st, we want to hear from you and the great work that you are doing. This is the format:

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Go team go!

The Five Slide Pitch

Prepare 5 slides about your organization to tell us (in 5 minutes or less) about who you are and what you need.

Three slides should be all about you – the goals of your organization, the projects you are currently working on, anything.

The next two slides should be all about what you need – what are some obstacles you are facing? What support do you need? Again, anything.

Hang out

Once everyone has had a chance to talk, let’s hang out and see how we can support each other. Connect Chicago is here to help all Chicago residents get connected— no matter where you are in the city, on the skills continuum, or in this universe of access and training providers. Let’s talk!

Meeting Notes

If you want to go ahead and get started, here are the meeting notes for this meetup. 

Toolkit: Flash Drives as a Key for Digital Access and Productivity

Smart Chicago

When we think of digital access, most of us assume that we’re talking about access to the internet. However, there is more than digital access than just being able to go to a public computing center. Portable storage like flash drives play a vital role in allowing people to take advantage of technology. This is one story that illustrates the value of flash drives in an urban public computing center environment.

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Benchmark: Chicago Public Library Cyber Navigator Program

Smart Chicago 1 Comment

“Establish a smart community benchmark and toolkit for broadband access and use” is Initiative Four of the City of Chicago Tech Plan. The Connect Chicago program is an essential component of that initiative. As part of this, we’re highlighting programs that are quintessential programs that we consider crucial to having a connected city for all.

One of the first comprehensive technology training programs in the city, the CyberNavigators program at Chicago Public Libraries has led the way in bridging the digital divide in Chicago.

Bessie Coleman

About the CyberNavigator Program

CyberNavigators are computer tutors that work in 44 libraries across Chicago, where they served almost 90,000 library patrons in 2011. Through technology training and mentoring, one-on-one assistance and public classes, CyberNavigators work with library patrons to teach computer basics, resume writing, word processing, internet searching and more.

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Connect Chicago Toolkit: USA Learns

Smart Chicago

“Establish a smart community benchmark and toolkit for broadband access and use” is initiative four of the City of Chicago Tech Plan. The Connect Chicago program is an essential component of that initiative.

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Stephen Alderson, Director of Adult Education at Instituto del Progreso Latino spoke at the last WeConnectChicago meetup to talk about their CYBER-ESL program, a blended online English as a second language  program for adult ESL learners.  One component of this program is the use of the USALearns website.

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Connect Chicago: Seniors and Technology

Christopher Whitaker

At the Connect Chicago meetup on February 21st, we covered issues around seniors and technology.

Brad Winick of Planning/Aging, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and AgeOptions  talked about how we got to this point and the social impacts an aging population will have on technology. Here’s Brad Winick introducing his talk below the fold:

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