Date

12-2018

Document Type

Capstone Project (Campus-Only Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Department

Health, Human Services and Public Policy

Major

Social Work

First Advisor

Caitlin Stinneford

Abstract

Loaves, Fishes, and Computers (LFC) is a non-profit agency that receives donated computer equipment and trains volunteers to refurbish them and sell at a reasonably low price. LFC offers digital literacy classes for people who lack basic computer skills in Monterey County. In this community, there is a significant number of residents who live below the poverty line and cannot afford a computer. In addition, they are unaware there is access to basic computer skills and hardware at a low price. The high rate of digital illiteracy within the low-income community can impact them in negative ways. The majority of the Monterey County population speaks Spanish and is not computer literate, and thus fall under the digital divide. The solution to this problem is to promote computer use by providing more digital literacy classes (in Spanish) through LFC and to measure the efficiency of these classes upon completion. Efficacy of these courses was measured through a post evaluation questionnaire in which participants were contacted by telephone and asked to answer questions on the skills they were taught. The thirty-four participants who attended stated that they learned valuable skills, including how to turn on the computer, and how to research medical information. The recommendation is that LFC offer more digital literacy classes in South Monterey County.

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