Inclusion in the Virtual Society

e-gateways as new social places for learning and participation

Sonia Liff, Fred Steward & Peter Watts (Warwick & Aston Universities)

e-gateways - telecottage, cyber- café, community technology centres,

electronic village halls

• New organisations providing internet access in a social place separate from home and work - ‘3rd Places’ for informal public life

• Settings which allow different activities such as learning, information retrieval and communication which traditionally occur in different institutional contexts

• Provide an interface between social networks and virtual networks

Processes of inclusion across the Digital Divide

• Between the worlds of non-users and users- generating interest and confidence to participate

• Between novices and experts - reacting to what people want or need to know, when & how

• Between consumers and creators of e-services and e-products - facilitating and empowering participation

Issues investigated in e-gateway organisations

• Sense of place with distinctive cultures and practices of inclusion and exclusion - drawing on a variety of links to wider social networks

• Ways of engaging interest and supporting learning

• Connections between the familiar and the new - understanding the potential of new technologies and new modes of engagement

UK Survey of e-gateways

• 236 live e-gateways identified in 1998, 50% established since 1996. Continued growth & turnover - sustainability issues

• Mainly small organisations, run by entrepreneurial enthusiasts with a high level of commitment to extending access

• Evidence of many inexperienced users especially in relation to the internet

• Users more like the population at large than shown in general surveys of internet users

Case studies of successful e-gateways

Two contrasting routes for inclusion:

shop front e-gateways

community e-gateways

Characteristics of Shop Front e-gateways

• Prominent, attractive location

• Aims to attract the general public with few prior connections to the e-gateway

• Support for users in response to their interest and need

• Focus on real and virtual communication

McNulty’s Café, Newcastle UKLow barriers to entry for new users

McNulty’s Café, Newcastle UKInteraction between café customers and

computer users

Characteristics of Community Gateways

• Low public visibility of location

• Aim to attract users from a specific community / group via existing links

• Emphasis on formal training starting from basics

• Focus on developing competence with computers / internet, some virtual community building

Project Cosmic, Devon, UK not likely to draw in those passing by

Project Cosmic, Devon UKCo-located with lively youth club

Project Cosmic, Devon UKsuccessful training courses through links to

local business community

Users in 3 shop front and 3 community UK e-gateways

Similarities• vast majority local

residents - included users with own access

• over 3/4 said social factors were important in their use of e-gateway

• over 1/2 said their knowledge & ability had increased

Differences• Community sites

successful in attracting groups with low use

• Shop front sites successful in supporting internet use including web site creation

Significance of the two approaches for those aiming for e-inclusion

• Failure to locate ICT provisions either in a site that is attractive and accessible to casual passers or has strong links into the community likely to be problematic

• Users of both sites value the social environment

• Scope for strengthening both approaches by learning from each other

Different national contexts

Field work in the two countries with highest global internet access: USA & Finland

Key findings:

• influence of e-gateways on traditional institutions

• contexts which support social innovation

Kirjakaapeli (Cable Book Library) Helsinki

• Shop front e-gateway in central city library

• Open 6 days per week including Sunday - weekdays open till midnight

• Free access to all internet uses including email & chat rooms

• over 90% local users

Watts public library Los Angeles

• Community e-gateway in neighbourhood setting

• 20 free internet workstations

• homework clubs

US e-gateway support networks

• NTIA support for innovative projects

• NSF funded network of community technology centres

• professional volunteers for advice

Key features to learn from e-gateways

• Use is strongly influenced by social environments - which are vital to engage new users, overcome anxieties and help understand the potential of IT

• Diffusion of technology won’t remove the need for social learning

• Different approaches are successful in different contexts - preserve diversity to achieve broad inclusion

Facilitating innovation for social inclusion

• Recognize limits of traditional institutions and promote new boundary spanning settings

• Acknowledge the importance of informal modes of learning in affirming contexts

• Social and virtual interaction are mutually supportive

• Facilitate support networks and ‘voice’ for e-gateways

Inclusion in the Virtual Society

e-gateways as new social places for learning and participation

Sonia Liff, Fred Steward & Peter Watts (Warwick & Aston Universities)