CAREER: Broadening the Participation of Historically Underserved Groups in the Information Society

这项研究和教育计划的目标是，通过确定构成信息技术获取和使用的文化模式、社会网络和其他社会文化因素，扩大历来未得到充分服务的群体在信息社会中的参与。研究方法将涉及与西费城贝尔蒙特社区的长期伙伴关系和持续互动，并将把奖学金与社区正在进行的项目结合起来。通过相互学习和分享专业知识，研究人员、大学生和社区领导人将共同努力，确定需要解决的特定问题，定义可研究的问题，并开展研究项目。然后，研究成果和新兴理论将转化为以文化为基础、以理论为导向的干预措施，旨在提高社区组织的技术能力和可持续性，以便更好地为其客户服务。研究成果还将通过扩展中期理论来做出更广泛的学术贡献，该理论解释了信息技术的社会文化影响、差异影响和反应。此外，结果将通过制定教育机会和课程资源等干预措施以及为公共政策和未来研究提出建议而做出实际贡献。

The goal of this research and education plan is to broaden the participation of historically underserved groups in the information society by identifying cultural patterns, social networks and other socio-cultural factors that structure information technology access and use. The research approach will involve long-term partnerships and continuous interaction with the Belmont community in West Philadelphia, and will merge scholarship with ongoing programs in the community. Through reciprocal learning and sharing of expertise, researchers, university students, and community leaders will work together to identify the particular problems to be addressed, to define researchable questions, and to conduct research projects. Research findings and emergent theory will then be translated into culturally based, theory driven interventions aimed at increasing the technology capacity and sustainability of the community based organizations to better serve their clientele. The research results will also make broader scholarly contributions through the extension of midrange theory that explains the socio-cultural influences, differential impacts, and responses to information technology. In addition, the results will make practical contributions through the development of interventions such as educational opportunities and curricular resources, and recommendations for public policy and future research.