CAREER: Connecting America: Examining Broadband Use and Consequences on Quality of Life of Vulnerable Populations

Pennsylvania State Univ University Park, University Park PA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will investigate broadband use and its consequences for quality of life among America's vulnerable populations, including the poor, the elderly, some racial and ethnic minorities, those who live in rural areas, and the disabled. These groups currently have lower than the national average broadband adoption. The research will provide a careful and systematic evaluation of Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) funded projects, which are the first large-scale federal efforts to close America's broadband gap. The research program will develop new process and outcome theories of broadband use and impact by: (1) developing experiential measures of broadband use as a basis to evaluate consequences of broadband on people?s lives; (2) evaluating consequences of broadband use using a multi-measure and multi-level concept of quality of life; (3) developing a framework of mechanisms to explain why broadband use has consequences on quality of life; (4) providing a framework of data gathering strategies, research methods, validated instruments and tools to help policymakers in their broadband decisions and impact evaluation; and (5) providing formative and summative feedback to broadband promotion practices. Broader Impacts. The project will provide a careful and systematic evaluation of BTOP pilot projects that can form the groundwork for future broadband adoption investments. In addition, the project will help educate new IT researchers who are able to tackle challenging societal problem through the development of an interdisciplinary learning program on "IT for human development" using a problem-solution-impact approach and the creation of an infrastructure for "IT and social service" education. A K- 12 outreach program will be developed to create a pipeline of females in IT programs. The Penn State digital literacy corps will be created to enhance IT and social service educational infrastructure. This program engages Penn State students to create lessons and to provide help to vulnerable populations with difficulty and frustration from broadband use.