Simply acquiring computer skills has become insufficient in the age of the Internet. It has become important to be literate in the use of networked information, and any universal service policy must address this. This is necessary to close income gaps as well as to promote civic participation. Network literacy has been described as a critical skill for citizens in the future … The necessary knowledge includes awareness of the range and use of globally networked information resources and how to apply such resources in everyday problem solving and improving individual quality of life … The high-performance workplace will be increasingly laced with networked information systems, and workers need to learn how to use them, to solve problems and work effectively in teams.
Predictor: Civille, Richard
Prediction, in context:The 1995 book “Public Access to the Internet,” edited by Brian Kahin and James Keller carries the chapter, “The Internet and the Poor” by Richard Civille, executive director of the Center for Civic Networking, a non-profit organization dedicated to the application of information infrastructure to community and economic development. He writes: ”Simply acquiring computer skills has become insufficient in the age of the Internet. It has become important to be literate in the use of networked information, and any universal service policy must address this. This is necessary to close income gaps as well as to promote civic participation. Network literacy has been described as a critical skill for citizens in the future … The necessary knowledge includes awareness of the range and use of globally networked information resources and how to apply such resources in everyday problem solving and improving individual quality of life. Particular skills would include and understanding of how to search for, browse, and retrieve desired materials and how to manipulate networked information with other resources to add value. These are general adult literacy skills needed to survive in an information economy. In an information economy, good jobs require analytical research skills, not simply the ability to read and write and follow instructions … Preparing students in schools for such a workplace – and retraining displaced adult workers – is going to require network literacy. This is because the high-performance workplace will be increasingly laced with networked information systems, and workers need to learn how to use them, to solve problems and work effectively in teams. Not only will developing such skills produce high-performance workers, it can produce high-performance citizens as well, because the same skills enrich individual use of networked information services from home, for personal use.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Digital Divide
Name of publication: Public Access to the Internet (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: The Internet and the Poor
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 18
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne