Relationships and Connectedness: Weak Ties that Help Social Inclusion Through Public Access Computing

Of all the benefits public access to computers (PAC) offer users, the most valued by users are having more information for stronger relationships, better learning, and effective transactions. This article analyzes the most salient benefit, more information for stronger relationships with friends and family. Results of a qualitative study among users of libraries, telecenters, and cybercafés in Colombia, South America, show that social media and personal relationships can also have an important community and sociopolitical dimension. By fostering a sense of belonging and connectedness to community and to a larger world, PAC usage often leads to feelings of empowerment and development of social capital, two intangible factors that are critical for community development. This study used a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys and interviews in five regions of the country, to uncover the benefits of PAC for underserved communities. Its findings contribute new insight about the impact of information and communication technologies on community development and social inclusion.

[1]  J. Coleman,et al.  Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital , 1988, American Journal of Sociology.

[2]  Dennis M. Murphy.  The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom , 2012 .

[3]  K. Seers.  Qualitative data analysis , 2011, Evidence Based Nursing.

[4]  Derek B. Miller,et al.  The Case for Situated Theory in Modern Peacebuilding Practice , 2010 .

[5]  Cathy Urquhart,et al.  The value of extended networks: Social capital in an ICT intervention in rural Peru , 2009, Inf. Technol. Dev..

[6]  Elizabeth A. Gould,et al.  New challenges for libraries in the information age: a comparative study of ICT in public libraries in 25 countries , 2010 .

[7]  Joyojeet Pal,et al.  “My child will be respected”: Parental perspectives on computers and education in Rural India , 2009, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[8]  Michael Gurstein,et al.  What is Community Informatics (and Why Does It Matter)? , 2007, ArXiv.

[9]  Ricardo Gomez,et al.  Users’ Perceptions of the Impact of Public Access Computing in Colombia: Libraries, Telecenters and Cybercafés , 2012 .

[10]  Ann Peterson Bishop,et al.  The internet for empowerment of minority and marginalized users , 2004, New Media Soc..

[11]  Ojelanki K. Ngwenyama,et al.  Bridging the Generation Gap in ICT Use: Interrogating Identity, Technology and Interactions in Community Telecenters , 2010, Inf. Technol. Dev..

[12]  Alvaro E. Urrutia,et al.  Less cyber, more café: Enhancing existing small businesses across the digital divide with ICTs , 2005 .

[13]  P. Solomon,et al.  A comparative analysis of families with mentally ill adult relatives: Support group members versus non-members. , 1996 .

[14]  Ragnar Andreas Audunson,et al.  Technology and Social Inclusion. Rethinking the Digital Divide , 2006, J. Documentation.

[15]  I. N. A. C. I. J. H. Fowler.  Book Review: Connected: The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives. , 2009 .

[16]  Andrea L. Kavanaugh,et al.  The Impact of Community Computer Networks on Social Capital and Community Involvement , 2001 .

[17]  Sarah Parkinson,et al.  Using a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach to Assessing the Impact of ICTs in Development , 2007, J. Community Informatics.

[18]  Ricardo Llano-González.  Fowler, J. & Christakis, N. (2009). Connected: the surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives. New York: Little, Brown and Company. , 2012 .

[19]  Ricardo Gomez,et al.  Structure and flexibility in global research design , 2010 .

[20]  R. Gómez,et al.  Comparing Approaches: Telecentre Evaluation Experiences in Asia and Latin America , 2002 .

[21]  Raul Roman,et al.  Diffusion of Innovations as a Theoretical Framework for Telecenters , 2003 .

[22]  Meddie Mayanja,et al.  Rethinking telecentre sustainability approaches , 2007, J. Community Informatics.

[23]  R. Gómez.  Libraries, Telecentres, Cybercafes and Public Access to ICT: International Comparisons , 2011 .

[24]  Keith N. Hampton,et al.  Netville Online and Offline , 1999 .

[25]  Michael D. Crandall,et al.  Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries. , 2010 .

[26]  R. Heeks.  The ICT4D 2.0 Manifesto: Where Next for ICTs and International Development? , 2009 .

[27]  Dorothea Kleine,et al.  POLICY ARENA ICT4WHAT?— USING THE CHOICE FRAMEWORK TO OPERATIONALISE THE CAPABILITY APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT , 2010 .

[28]  Tuncay Sevindik,et al.  Profile of Internet Cafe users in Turkey , 2007, Telematics Informatics.

[29]  J. Onyx,et al.  Measuring Social Capital in Five Communities , 2000 .

[30]  Sandra Jovchelovitch,et al.  Health, community and development: towards a social psychology of participation , 2000 .

[31]  S. Tefft.  Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide , 2002 .

[32]  Araba Sey,et al.  Literature review on the impact of public access to information and communication technologies , 2009 .

[33]  Lyn E. Simpson,et al.  Community Informatics and Sustainability: Why Social Capital Matters , 2005, J. Community Informatics.

[34]  Paola Prado,et al.  Evaluating ICT Adoption in Rural Brazil: A Quantitative Analysis of Telecenters as Agents of Social Change , 2011, J. Community Informatics.

[35]  Kent Sidel,et al.  Communication for Development in the Third World- Theory and Practice , 1993 .

[36]  Astrid Mager.  Mediated health: sociotechnical practices of providing and using online health information , 2009, New Media Soc..

[37]  M. Lim.  Many Clicks but Little Sticks: Social Media Activism in Indonesia , 2013 .

[38]  Renee Kuriyan,et al.  Constructing Class Boundaries: Gender, Aspirations, and Shared Computing , 2009 .

[39]  Sajda Qureshi.  Extending Human Capabilities through Information Technology Applications and Infrastructures , 2010, Inf. Technol. Dev..

[40]  John Carlo Bertot,et al.  Emerging Role of Public Librarians as E-Government Providers , 2009, 2009 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[41]  F. Etta,et al.  Information and communication technologies for development in Africa : the experience with community telecentres; v. 2 , 2003 .

[42]  Ronald D. Doctor,et al.  Information technologies and social equity: Confronting the revolution , 1991, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[43]  M. Zimmerman.  Psychological empowerment: Issues and illustrations , 1995, American journal of community psychology.

[44]  Ricardo Gomez,et al.  Social network analysis of public access computing: relationships as a critical benefit of libraries, telecenters and cybercafés in developing countries , 2012, iConference '12.

[45]  Chris Rothschild,et al.  Technology for employability in Washington State: The role of ICT training on the employment, compensation and aspirations of low-skilled, older, and unemployed workers , 2009 .

[46]  J. Walther,et al.  Interaction of Interpersonal, Peer, and Media Influence Sources Online: A Research Agenda for Technology Convergence , 2010 .

[47]  Francisco J. Proenza and Roberto Bastidas-Buch and Guillermo Montero.  Telecenters for Socioeconomic and Rural Development in Latin America and the Caribbean , 2001 .

[48]  P. Adler,et al.  Social Capital: Prospects for a New Concept , 2002 .

[49]  M. Woolcock.  Social capital and economic development: Toward a theoretical synthesis and policy framework , 1998 .

[50]  N. Kabeer.  Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment , 1999 .

[51]  Jeffrey James,et al.  ICT4D: Information and Communication Technology for Development , 2010, J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol..

[52]  Michael L. Best,et al.  Social Impact and Diffusion of Telecenter Use: A Study from the Sustainable Access in Rural India Project , 2007, J. Community Informatics.

[53]  Jill Nishi.  Opportunity for all: How the American public benefits from Internet access at U.S. libraries: A study from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services , 2011 .

[54]  B MilesMatthew,et al.  Qualitative Data Analysis , 2009, Approaches and Processes of Social Science Research.

[55]  M. Huysman,et al.  How Does the Internet Affect Social Capital , 2004 .

[56]  R. Putnam,et al.  Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. , 1994 .

[57]  Luis Fernando Baron-Porras,et al.  Perceptions of Connectedness: Public Access Computing and Social Inclusion in Colombia , 2012, 2012 45th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[58]  Arlene Bailey,et al.  Issues Affecting the Social Sustainability of Telecentres in Developing Contexts: A Field Study of Sixteen Telecentres in Jamaica , 2009, Electron. J. Inf. Syst. Dev. Ctries..

[59]  Kate Williams,et al.  Social Networks and Social Capital: Rethinking Theory in Community Informatics , 2008, J. Community Informatics.

[60]  Kenneth E. Pigg,et al.  Building Community Social Capital: The Potential and Promise of Information and Communications Technologies , 2004, J. Community Informatics.

[61]  Anikar Michael Haseloff.  Cybercafés and their potential as Community Development Tools in India , 2005, J. Community Informatics.