Ian & Stuart's Australian Mac: Not for Sale/Another.not.for.sale (Australia).iso/hold me in your arms/Michael Ney's Cyberculture/Cyberculture/Timber Communities Online

Text File | 1994-09-02 | 17KB | 312 lines

Topic 295       Timber Communities Online
peg:agarton     cyberculture zone        1:47 PM  Jan 25, 1994

Cc: acampbell bood lcnet
Date:         Wed, 15 Sep 1993 13:47:00 -0800
From: Nancy Willard ESD <[e-mail]>
Subject:      Information Infrastructure and rural development

Hi Folks.  I am posting a rather long document that I wrote on behalf of
both out local education network and community network.  We are tyring to
get our community to "wake-up" to the potential that information and
communication technologies have in addressing the critical needs of our
rural communities.  We are one of the counties that is undergoing a major
transition in our economic base - the timber industry.  The document
addresses the four areas that the region/state considers need to be
addressed: workers and families, business development, community
development, and ecosystem restoration.  I though that some of you might
find parts of it useful.  Please feel free to redistribute, quote, borrow
concepts, etc.  (Unfortunately, the programs that are currently being
proposed to assist in this transition are the same old tired Industrial
Age approaches.)

Nancy Willard
Lane OnLine
P.O. Box 1914
Eugene, Oregon 97440
503-344-9125
[e-mail]

Using Technology to Erase the Barriers of Place
A Rationale for the Use of Information Infrastructure for the
Revitalization of Lane County's Timber-Dependant Communities


"Rural America is at the proverbial crossroads.  Many rural communities
show the signs that raise concern for their future: loss of economic
vitality, a relative decline in income, high unemployment, low workforce
participation, and an exodus of talent.  Advances in communication and
information technologies, however, hold promise for rural America, by
reducing the barriers of distance and space that have disadvantaged rural
areas.  Rural businesses can now link to other businesses or access major
markets, even in other countries, just as readily as those in urban
areas, while still enjoying the many distinctive benefits of rural
living."  U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Rural America
at the Crossroads: Networking for the Future, 1991, p. iii.

Lane County's rural communities have the opportunity to undergo a
renaissance in the Information Age.  Through the use of advanced computer
and telecommunications technologies which form an information
infrastructure, location will no longer be a critical factor to accessing
resources, conducting business, and engaging in life-long learning.
Through the pioneering efforts of the developers of LaneNET, network for
education and training, and Lane OnLine, a community information and
communication service, Lane County is well-positioned to insure that all
of its residents and communities will begin to reap the benefits of this
technology.   The information infrastructure provided by LaneNET and Lane
OnLine will assist in revitalizing Lane County's rural communities which
are currently undergoing a major transition in their economic base.

LaneNET and Lane OnLine will provide a local information infrastructure
that will support educational activities, information sharing, and
communication and will also provide access to the rapidly forming
international information infrastructure, known as Internet.  Internet is
an international network of networks which provides access to a wide
variety of information resources from throughout the world, as well as
global e-mail and online discussion groups.  Establishing a system that
incorporates local services together with access to the Internet will
provide the greatest possible level of benefits to residents.

In February 1993, the Clinton Administration unveiled its strategy for
fostering economic growth, a strategy that relies heavily on the
utilization of information infrastructure to support business growth,
insure a highly skilled workforce, and improve the performance of
government.  With respect to the information infrastructure, the report
states:

"Efficient access to information is becoming critical for all parts of
the American economy.  Banks, insurance companies, manufacturing
concerns, and many other businesses now depend on high-speed
communication links.  Many more businesses can take advantage of such
systems if they are reliable, easy to use and inexpensive.  Such systems
would be of enormous value to schools, hospitals, and other public
organizations.  Even the most remote school could be connected to
state-of-the-art information.  Hospitals could call in experts for
consultation even if the expert is far from the patient.

Accelerating the introduction of an efficient, high-speed communication
system can have the same effect on US economic and social development as
public investment in railroads had in the 19th century.  It would provide
a critical tool around which many new business opportunities can
develop." Clinton and Gore, Technology for America's Economic Growth, A
New Direction to Build Economic Strength, Feb. 22, 1993, p. 16.

The following are ways in which an information infrastructure can be
utilized to address the immediate needs of Lane County's communities and
workers in transition as well as provide the critical infrastructure for
long term growth of a high skill, high wage economy in the 21st century.

Workers and Families

Workforce Training  Information infrastructure will provide equal
educational opportunities and the ability to engage in life-long learning
for all residents regardless of location.  Education and training
opportunities can range from basic skills to professional education.
The technologies will support multimedia instructional programs, online
distance education classes, and access to vast information resources.
Advantages include:

}   The opportunity to learn regardless of location or time factors.
}   Interactive systems that result in significantly higher levels of
retention.
}   Activities that foster the ability to learn complex ideas.
}   Interconnected systems that foster teamwork among students.
}   Instruction that can be tailored to the learning needs of
individuals.
}   Learning in an environment that will be emulated in high performance
workplaces.
}   Access to a wide range of learning opportunities to meet the needs of
all residents.
}   Global communication that will foster a global frame of mind.

One evening in the multimedia computer lab at Oakridge High School, the
following students are busy at work:  Sarah, an Oakridge High School
senior is working on her assignment for an online advanced placement
English class offered through the UO.  She and several other students
throughout the county are jointly drafting a play about life in rural
Lane County.  Bob is using a multimedia instruction program to improve
his basic skills in vocational mathematics.  Bob attends LCC, but because
of the availability of the computer lab, he is only required to drive to
the campus one day a week.  Kevin, a high school junior, is "just playing
around" (or so he thinks) with an online simulation game.  Who is his
partner?  His e-mail pal from Japan.  At home in the same community, Mary
is reviewing the recent exchanges between the professor and students in
the online business management class through University of Oregon.

Social Services  Displaced workers and their families, traditionally
highly self-reliant, will in some cases need to rely on the safety net of
social services.  Too often people go through a humiliating process of
being shuttled from one agency to another in search of the agency that
can address their particular need.  For rural residents this process is
made more difficult by the fact that most social service agencies are
located in the urban area.

An online local information service which provides information on all
social services available in the region, as well as the criteria for
service, the application process, the ability to request and receive
specific information and forms, and self-help information, will put
control back into the hands of the workers and their families.

In the Mapleton Public Library, Jim has logged on to the Social Services
Section of Lane OnLine.  He has lost his job and his wife is pregnant.
He is searching for some assistance for her prenatal care.   He is able
to print out guidelines for nutrition and exercise and has found a
program that will provide prenatal services. He also consults the job
openings posted by the Employment Division and works through an online
tutorial to prepare a resume that has been provided by the Southern
Willamette Private Industry Council.


Business and Industry Development

Local Business Development  The workplace of the future will be complex
and ever-changing and will require a high degree of collaborative efforts
both internally and externally.  Companies will be competing in a global
marketplace.  In addition to requiring a highly skilled workforce that
can constantly upgrade its skills, companies will require rapid access to
the latest information about technological innovations, markets, and
government regulations.  Companies will need to be able to communicate
effectively with other players in their industry, government, and
education institutions.

Information is quickly becoming the most critical resource for business
growth.  The USDA has historically devoted much of its budget to
dissemination of research results resulting in significant productivity
gains in American agriculture.  The Extension Service has launched an
aggressive effort to utilize the Internet as the means of conveying this
information to all of its constituencies.  A national network of
manufacturing extension centers has been proposed and will also utilize
the Internet for information dissemination.  It is critical that business
people know of information resources such as these and have the skills to
access information through such resources.

In rural communities, the information infrastructure will be a critical
component of success for existing and start-up companies.  An online
information service can assist business and industry development by
providing information on:

}   Technological and manufacturing innovations.
}   Business assistance information and resources.
}   Government regulations, including environmental, planning, employee,
safety, etc.
}   International trade opportunities and resources.
}   High performance workplace strategies.

Online communication facilities will provide companies with the ability
to:

}   Share information.
}   Support the growth of their industry sector through collaborative
efforts.
}   Develop cooperative workforce development programs.
}   Form flexible networks (joint ventures) to respond to opportunities.
}   Foster a closer working partnership between companies, government,
and education.

The following exchanges take place through the Lane OnLine business and
industry services section:
Clark, from Cottage Grove, who has heard that there might be a market in
Asia for his products, downloads information on developing an
international marketing plan, checks the Commerce Department's Export
News to see if it contains any information on his particular market,
sends an information request via e-mail to the Department requesting more
details on a notice that was posted (to which he will receive a response
by 2:00 that day), and consults a list of the Willamette Valley World
Trade Center members to see if any member has listed similar market
interests.
Frank, from Florence, who has a potential employee relations problem,
downloads a section of the Oregon employment regulations and posts a
question about the issue on a private rural small-business support group
that is coordinated by the LCC Business Development Center.  Later that
day, he receives suggestions regarding his issue from the business
development consultant at LCC and from a colleague in Oakridge.
Vivian, from Veneta, sends a message to the Lane County Extension Office
Forestry Agent outlining a problem she is having with her small wood-lot
and requesting some guidance.  She also logs on to the Current Research
Information Service of the USDA (accessible via the Internet), which
provides information on all of agricultural and forestry research
projects in the nation, to see whether there are any research projects
underway that might provide insight.
Oliver, from Oakridge, who has identified a major market opportunity but
does not have all of the resources he needs to respond to the
opportunity, logs into the Flexible Networks program and posts an
announcement requesting companies with complementary resources to contact
him.

Business Recruitment  Business people interested in relocating in rural
communities are most likely making this decision because of quality of
life factors.  Issues that may concern them are their ability to locate
well-trained workers or to provide for such training and the sufficiency
of resources to support their business growth.  If they have school-aged
children they will also be concerned about the quality of schooling that
their children will obtain in the rural schools, which traditionally have
not had the resources to provide for advanced or specialized classes and
which are under even greater financial constraints at this time.   The
information infrastructure will provide access to worker training and
business support as well as provide schools with the ability to offer
advanced and specialized classes.

Barbara and Patrick, from San Diego, have fallen in love with the
McKenzie River and are considering moving their fledging software company
to Blue River.  They are pleased to learn that the Software Association
of Oregon maintains an online information service for its members, that
LCC and UO offer online classes on both technical and business subjects,
and their daughter, Kayla, will be able to enroll in a Russian language
class at her local high school.

Community Development

The information infrastructure can also provide access to information for
those who are active in community development.  Many federal agencies are
beginning to use the infrastructure to provide information to their
constituencies.  In Oregon, the Rural Development Initiative, coordinated
by Eastern Oregon State College, will be providing an online information
database specifically of interest to rural community developers.  Lane
County's rural community developers will require ready access to these
information resources.

Online communication facilities can greatly assist in development
activities when parties are separated geographically.   Online computer
conferences provide the opportunity for individuals to hold ongoing,
online "meetings" with others interested in the same issues.  By
expanding the level of communication, Lane County's rural community
developers will be able to consistently draw upon the insight and
expertise of their counterparts in other rural communities and the urban
areas.

The Lane Economic Committee is updating the Economic Plan for the county.
They have invited interested people in the community to assist.
Approximately 120 business people and community leaders from throughout
the county are participating in the process.  All of the pertinent
documents are available online.  Online discussion groups have been
established to discuss various aspects of the Plan, such as
infrastructure, business support programs, etc.  These groups will engage
in discussion, research various issues, and jointly draft recommendations
to be included in the overall plan.  The participants, from throughout
the county, are able to fully participate because they can do so from
their home, office, or school computer at a time of their convenience.

Ecosystem Investment

Successful ecosystem revitalization will require information
dissemination, communication and worker training as has been discussed in
the above sections.

Conclusion

The advanced technology revolution will ultimately mean that people will
have a much greater opportunity to live and work where they choose and
many will choose the high quality of life offered by Lane County's rural
communities.  Advanced computer and communication technologies are tools
that can bring rural communities renewed health and vitality.  The
information infrastructure will help to erase the barriers of place and
will thereby insure that rural residents will have greater opportunity to
pursue educational opportunities, conduct business, and participate in
the larger society.

Presented by:
LaneNET - Lane ESD, Jim Maxwell, Superintendent, Paul O'Driscoll,
Technical Consultant.
Lane OnLine - Nancy Willard, Project Director.