Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - Revati Prasad

Digital Skills Foster Confidence in Life

zwalker@benton.org — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:55:14 +0000

In a field focused on maps and megabytes, speed and latency, those of us working to realize universal, equitable broadband can sometimes lose sight of what connectivity can mean for people’s day-to-day lives. Today, we are launching some phenomenal research by EveryoneOn CEO Norma E. Fernandez that not only expertly applies the tools of in-depth, careful, and closely observed, qualitative research, but does so to focus on often overlooked groups—low-income African American/Black and Latina women. Her new report, From Fear To Confidence: The Digital Skills Journey of Underserved Women, focuses on women’s lived experiences and offers valuable insights into how digital inclusion programs can be designed to fit into complicated lives and meet diverse needs. Fernandez set out to understand what motivated women to embark on their digital skills journeys, and when they did, what circumstances they encountered that either created a speed bump or smoothed their path. Through interviews and surveys, Fernandez's research discovered common threads, ones that transcend race, ethnicity, and geography.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/digital-skills-foster-confidence-life

Teaser:

The new report focuses on women’s lived experiences and offers valuable insights into how digital inclusion programs can be designed to fit into complicated lives and meet diverse needs

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Revati Prasad

Send date:

Tue, 04/09/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/8/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Mon, 04/08/2024

Coverage Type:

Editorial

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Marginalized Populations

Gender

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Research

Headlines Specific Topic:

Benton Foundation

New Benton Research Groups To Tackle Critical Broadband Questions

benton — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:35:06 +0000

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society announced two new fellowship cohorts for our Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund. The Equitable Broadband in Urban America Research Group and the Policies, Plans, and Promises Research Group bring together researchers to work independently, but collaboratively on pressing broadband issues. We are excited about a research group model. We want to support not just the work these fellows will do but also help create a space where these talented researchers can share approaches and insights, building a community of practice. The Equitable Broadband in Urban America Research Group is a multi-city, multi-methods project that will offer actionable insights into how broadband in urban America can be improved and how state and federal policymakers, local governments, and digital equity champions can continue to build digital equity in these communities. With funding made available through BEAD and the Digital Equity Act, the federal government has charged states with leading the work of crafting plans to make those investments a reality. The Policies, Plans, and Promises Research Group will conduct comparative policy analyses to understand how states are approaching specific issues critical to ensuring equitable broadband.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/new-benton-research-groups-tackle-critical-broadband…

Teaser:

"We plan to use the Opportunity Fund to nimbly support emerging research leaders and their work to help ensure we can meet this broadband moment."

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Revati Prasad

Send date:

Tue, 02/20/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 2/16/2024

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 02/20/2024

Coverage Type:

Editorial

Community Anchor Institutions

Libraries

Healthcare Facilities

Schools/Universities

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Digital Divide

Federal Broadband Programs

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who primarily Reside in a Rural Area

Low-income

Headlines Specific Topic:

Benton Foundation

Researching Digital Equity: With People, For People

benton — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:23:26 +0000

In October, the Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Kansas City convened the first-ever Digital Inclusion Research Forum (DIRF), bringing together researchers and practitioners to highlight the latest in digital inclusion research, emerging methodologies, and best practices in the sector. In order to access the broadband funding made available by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), all states have to develop plans for how they will use these funds to build broadband networks and achieve digital equity. Insights from current research and practice can guide and support this important work. We’ve been reflecting on what we learned at DIRF, not simply the outcomes of research projects from around the country but, more broadly, an approach to researching digital equity.

[Dr. Revati Prasad is the Vice President of Programs at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. Dr. Erezi Ogbo is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina Central University and a Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow.]

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/researching-digital-equity-people-people

Teaser:

Highlights from the Digital Inclusion Research Forum

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Revati Prasad

Erezi Ogbo

Send date:

Mon, 12/18/2023

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 12/15/2023

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Mon, 12/18/2023

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Agenda

Report on past event

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Digital Divide

Digital Literacy

Internet/Broadband

Affordability/Cost/Price

Adoption

Universal Broadband

Research

Research Roundup: Notes from the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference

benton — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 11:30:25 +0000

Last month, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society staff, fellows, former fellows, and friends attended the 51st Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC) in Washington (DC). Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate Gigi Sohn delivered the keynote, Executive Director Adrianne Furniss awarded the 2023 Charles Benton Broadband & Society Prize, and I had the opportunity to moderate a fiery panel on the politics of broadband policy. Across two jam-packed days, we also learned about some recent and critical research on broadband and digital equity, some of which I highlight in this research roundup.

[Dr. Revati Prasad is the Vice President of Programs at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.]

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/research-roundup-notes-telecommunications-policy-res…

Teaser:

Some recent and critical research on broadband and digital equity

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Revati Prasad

Send date:

Wed, 10/04/2023

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 10/2/2023

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 10/03/2023

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Application window for Benton's 2023-24 Opportunity Fund Fellowships is now open

benton — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 11:24:00 +0000

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society welcomes fellowship applications to support a new generation of broadband scholars, practitioners, and advocates working on broadband access, adoption, application and equity. We are interested in supporting research and the development of best practices and tools to advance our field’s work. For the 2023-24 cycle, we invite proposals particularly focused on:

Coalitions and capacity building at the state and local levels to implement and influence broadband programs;
The extent and impact of digital discrimination;
Building sustainable, affordable broadband for BEAD and beyond
The impact of broadband on communities - the benefits and the vulnerabilities; and
Evaluation frameworks to measure the impact of broadband funding

This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list, and we welcome other proposals of critical importance to our field that can better inform our current or emerging broadband policy debates. We especially welcome applications that focus on historically marginalized communities. The fellowship call is available here. Application Deadline is August 15 and any questions can be directed to fellowships@benton.org.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/Fellowship-Call-2023-24.pdf

Teaser:

Application Deadline is August 15

Source:

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Author:

Revati Prasad

Send date:

Tue, 07/11/2023

Daily Digest: