Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Caminos Wieless Workshop and Zip Road Introduction







On Friday October 26th, 2007 the San Francisco Digital Connectors participated in the Caminos Pathway Learning Center Wireless Workshop that was offered to the Mission Community. The Mission Digital Connectors were invited to provide tech support to questions from the residents in regards of the Mesh Meraki Wireless Network installed by Caminos Non-Profit Organization.

Digital Connectors also introduced Zip Road to the Latino families that came to learn about the services that Caminos has to offer to the Mission Community.

The Mission Digital Connectors will continue to provide to tech support to the Latino families that live in the neighborhood with questions regarding the Wireless Network, the Beehive and Zip Road.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Caminos Mesh Wireless Network





On Thursday October 25th, the Mission Digital Connectors started to test the signal strength for the Camino's Mesh Wireless Network. The Meraki Wireless Network has been installed by Camino's in order to provide Free Internet Services to the Latino families in the Mission District.

The Digital Connectors went out from their computer lab and took laptops to test the signal and locate access points. Some of the weaker access points could get a booster on the Wireless Workshop that will be provided by the Mission Digital Connectors on Friday October 26th, @ 4:00pm.

Digital Connectors will create a map that will highlight the apartments near Caminos Pathway Learning Center that might have access to the Mesh Network.

Digital Connectors will also give away Wireless Cards for residents that sign up for Zip Road (www.ziproad.org) and Beehive (www.beehivsf.org) Training as part of the Web Content resources Digital Connector's Program has to offer to the Latino Families of the Mission District.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

ZipRoad

In class we learned about the wireless net work and how to get connected to the Internet. W saw some wire less networks that were set up around the neighborhood. We also learned how to go around the Mission District to find out where people could get free Internet. Today we will be testing this and we will make a map on where a good signal is in the neighborhood.

Before learning about the wire less net work we got to see a website called Zip Road. I think that Zip Road is very useful website. It lets us be able to see rating in schools and to see other programs in school that we do not know.We could use this website to look into college. We could find tutoring and homework help if we need it. it is a way for our parents to try to help us find help or to help us do good in school. The website could help us find the right way to go after high school. I found some news that would help and a map of each school and the location of them. this website is really useful.

Some information that i would like to see on his website is some pictures of the school so we could see what it look likes. I would like to see a little more information about the schools and what they are rated. I would like to see how kids and parents are involved in schools and programs. Maybe see some ratings from parents on schools and programs. I would like to see if they had extra enrollments from the school,so other kids could try to get in the school they want.

Other resources i use to see schools is SFUSD to find a little bit more on schools. I do not use any other site about schools and i have not known any other website until we learned about Zip Road. I use the websites that are available at my school and i talk to teachers about different schools to see if they have anything to say about them. I find Zip Road very useful and it has more information about a lot of subjects that come in handy. I haven't seen any other website like this and it is useful to other people to use this website to get information.

What we have learned

The digital connectors sound like its gonna be a cool thing because of all the thing that we are gonna learn and it can help use out in life.

So far it was been going great we are learning about wireless routers and how to connects to the wireless net work and how to set it up around your house and installing it in your computer and adding the program needed so that wireless Internet will work.

Trainig as a Digital Connector

Well so far its only been one week but the training has been really good. I have already learned lots like right know how to blog, we learned about how to get free Internet access, how the internet works and how the city of San Francisco will soon be a wireless city so you would be able to get internet access anywhere you go. And how this works is with a small digital cheap device connected to your DSL that will be able to get free wireless internet. This device is called Meraki.

This training has also thought me about the website ZipRoad and how it works and helps people in the community. Such as helps people evaluate schools without visiting the school showing them the amount of students in each class and their test scores. Also tells you about tutoring homework help after school programs and Summer camps . And also gives you information and helps you get scholarships for colleges.

Overall this might not be lots that I've learned but its only been the first week their is still lots to learn. I have a whole lot ahead of me. I will be able to do many things by the time I leave from this program I will have lots of knowledge in me in technology.

Imelda Guzman

About Zip Road

i think that zip road is a great web site because it helps students and parents to check out thing like school and after school programs that can help use out. it helped me out to check a collage that I'm thinking of going and i already made a appointment and i have their number to go check out the college.

somethings that i will like to check out on your web site like resources would be like how many students are in the school and if theirs any more room in the school maybe u do i just didn't find it but if not that would be a great thing to add in. and maybe more information like after school summer programs for kids that are 12 and older that are around their community and maybe some pictures of the school, but still its a great web site and i will be checking in to find more info about colleges thank you
-Adolfo Garcia
Mission Digital Connector
__________________________________________________

Me as a Digital Connector

This first week as a Digital Connector has been very exiting. The training that we got wasn't so hard but it's a Little hard to remember so much in just one week. I really want to learn more engineering. I want to learn how to make mixes and downloads songs onto a CD. What I am looking forward to doing is finding new sights I never knew of. Also I really want to help my friends and families with troubles they might get on the computer like I use to have. But first I have to learn all that I can with the laptops and home computers.

It is kind of hard trying to keep balance with everything that i have to do daily. School, homework, Digital Connector work an on top of that tutoring help. But its actually kind of fun to be acting like a grown up that had a busy day. My parents and teachers tell me to act my age but now I'm acting older than that. It feels very good to of known you can do so much.

Thalia Marroquin

ZipRoad

I think that ZipRoad is very useful because it lets us be able to see ratings in schools and to see other programs in school that we do not know.We could use this website to look into college. We could find tutoring and homework help if we need it. it is a way for our parents to try to help us find help or to help us do good in school. The website could help us find the right way to go after high school. I found some news that would help and a map of each school and the location of them. this site is really useful for a lot of things.

Some information that i would like to see on this web site is some pictures of the school so we could see what it look likes. I would like to see a little more information about the schools and what they are rated. I would like to see how kids and parents are involved in schools and programs. Maybe see some ratings from parents on schools and programs. I would like to see if they had extra enrollments from the school,so other kids could try to get into them.

Other resources i use to see schools is SFUSD to find a little bit more on schools. i do not use any other site about schools. I use the web sites at school and i talk to teachers about different schools. I find ZipRoad very useful and it has more information on schools than i have seen on any other web site. I havnt seen any other website like this and it is useful to other people who want to find out more about schools and programs.

Zip Road

ZIPROAD is very useful and helpful to anyone especially for parents to see what kind off school they want to send there kids to. It tells you the address and it tells you what kind of test scores the school has so they now if the environment is OK for there kids and if the school is good.It also tells you how many kids the school can hold and how many kids the teachers are allowed to have in there class. It tells you what demographics they have in the school and the percent of students in that race; it also tells you about the information that's good to know.

This web site is helpful like i said before but something I would like to see in the website is a picture of the school the outside of the school and inside.for example like a tour online of the school so if someone doesn't have time to go see it in person they can see it online. I'm just saying because i think that would be good for the parents to have but the website is good you should check it out.

Other resources that I have used is SFUSD but I like this website better because it tells you the things straight forward and makes it easy to find what you want. In the SFUSD its kind of harder to find information and its more complicated. In ZIPROAD its more easy and simple that a kid can use it for there own needs and not ask there parents to help them they can be independent. Even though they can do it alone they should have there parents there so they can both learn something knew.

Elizabeth Garcia
SF Digital Connector

What we've learned

we have learned alot of stuff on the 1st week of the program.Like for example we learned about the website that is called ziproads.Its a good website because it gives us information about the schools we have in mind for maybe their kids.it's a good program.We also learned about about this router called the mirake.What it does is that it looks for an open source network where it can use the connection and you can get an internet connection.We've also learned how to hook them up.

My First week at Digital Connectors.....

I started my first week.... with a whole lot of drive and ambition for this program because I think its a smart project towards helping people with the Digital Divide in San Francisco Community.

Learning about the wireless internet has been extremely helpful and fun Thanks to
Leo cause if it wouldn't of been somebody else i don't know where i be... Its not hard to learn just Pay Attention! There is a lot things you have to comprehend about the Internet and The Wireless Network which takes time but luckily I've been catching on quick. Like for instance yesterday we learn about Meraki and Links(Wireless Routers) with was interesting because my mommy been paying money for comcast when it free..... Know that i learned that I'm going to be more of a Educated consumer.....


~Robin~

About Zip Road

I think that Zip Road is a great web site because it helps students and parents to check out thing like school and after school programs that can help use out. It helped me out to check a college that I'm thinking of going and I already made a appointment and I have their number to go check out the college.

Somethings that I will like to check out on your web site like resources would be like how many students are in the school and if theirs any more room in the school maybe u do i just didn't find it but if not that would be a great thing to add in. And maybe more information like after school summer programs for kids that are 12 and older that are around their community and maybe some pictures of the school, but still its a great web site and I will be checking in to find more info about colleges!

-Adolfo Garcia
Mission Digital Connector
__________________________________________________

What have I learned so far?

So far I have learned about Ziproad.org, a website that helps families get around the Internet, find schools, after school programs, college information, and tutoring. Also about the Digital Divide, it refers to the gap between those with access to digital technology, and those without it. How we can help the Mission community get up-to-date with technology and about Meraki, getting free Internet nation wide and giving everyone the opportunity to use the net. I now know that when your mouse stops working correctly, all you have to do is get some alcohol and some cotton swabs and clean the inside, then it'll work perfectly. Just yesterday I was taught about wireless routers, I learned a lot so far that I didn't know. I think that its a rewarding experience to learn about technology and am looking forward to furthering my knowledge on technology.

Javier Perea
San Francisco Digital Connector

Being a Digital Connector

Thursday 25, 2007

So far working as a S.F digital connector has been very excited. Even though a week has past by I have learn somethings that I have never thought about. I remember learning about the Meraki is a device that helps you to connect to the internet but you have to have a DSL line to connect it to. Its a small device but it shows you how strong is your internet signal in whatever part you are in. In this training that I'm in I am decided to learn everything about computers that I'm still not familiar with, that way when i go out to the community i would help people and explain anything they want to be informed about based on what i learned.

It's exciting for me to know that i would help families, people with low income that can't afford internet access to get one for free. And to see how useful it is for every member in the family to know anything they want just a click away.

Adriana Morales
Mission Digital Connector

Mission Digital Connectors Comptuer Lab




The San Francisco Mission Digital Connectors started working this week in the Caminos Computer Lab. The lab offers around 30 computers that Digital Connectors will use to provide Computer Workshops to the Latino Families.

Digital Connectors are learning this week about Zip Road (www.ziproad.org) and how to Set up a Mesh Wireless Network in preparation of the Wireless Open House on Friday October 26th, @ 4:00pm.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Mission Digital Connectors Program Launches

On October 22nd, 2007 the San Francisco Digital Connectors added to their expansion the Mission Digital Connectors Program.

The Mission Digital Connectors will focus on providing technology services to the Latino families that live int the Mission District. Digital Connectors will provide computer workshops, distribute ATT DSL lines for families that qualify for that grant and will distribute Computers thru the OE computer purchase program.

Phase I of the program will happen during Oct-Dec 2007. During this phase Digital Connectors will receive training on the Areas of Internet, Wireless Networks and Computer Training.

Phase II of the program will happen during Jan-March 2008. During this phase Digital Connectors will receive training on Hardware Components and Youth Content.

Phase III of the program will happen during April-May 2008. During this phase Digital Connectors will receive training on Multimedia Applications.

During all phases the Mission Digital Connectors will also participate on Community Events providing Computer Workshops @ their computer lab and provide tech support to families in need.

Another aspect of the program will be to collect digital stories from the Latino families that we have helped in the community.

The Mission Digital Connectors Program Launches

One Economy will build on the activities of the summer 2007 Program and leverage our four-year investment in San Francisco to expand and institutionalize the San Francisco Mission Digital Connectors program as a vehicle for youth-led Beehive (www.beehivesf.org) and Zip Road (www.ziproad.org) marketing and training, technology instruction and support, youth media and civic journalism.

Program Objectives

1. To promote technology via a youth-led Buzz marketing campaign:

    1. Computer training and Tech Support to local CBO’s
    2. Community events to promote Technology Services
    3. Youth-developed ‘guerrilla marketing’ strategies to promote Internet Safety

2. To use Digital Storytelling to document how technology has helped improve the lives of low-income San Franciscans

3. To provide technology education and leadership development experience to 10 young people, ages 14 – 17, living in the Mission District