Executive Summary:

"Around the world, civil society is being thrust into the digital world. Technology systems are now entwined in every aspect of our individual and collective lives. People rely on the internet, mobile devices, and social networking platforms to connect and communicate, and civil society organizations must now grapple and engage with many issues that had been considered the more specific domain of a small subset of digital rights organizations in earlier decades. Digital policy issues - including information privacy, net neutrality, government surveillance, and the regulation of artificial intelligence—now affect the core missions of nonprofits and associations working in areas as divergent as education, the environment, criminal justice, health, community development, justice, and the arts. To effectively continue to protect and promote well-being, rights, and opportunities, civil society must become digital civil society—a sector with the confidence and resources to address how technology shapes core mission issues.

Starting in January 2019, the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University initiated a research study to map these changing contours of civil society, to analyze current connection and collaboration between more traditional civil society and digital policy organizations, and to identify additional ways that the philanthropic and organizational community could better support civil society in the digital age. The research study focused on four geographic domains—the United States, the European Union, the UK, and Canada. The project was conducted through policy convenings, face-to-face and remote interviews, an online survey, and desk research to understand the policy agendas of leading civil society and digital policy organizations in each geographic domain.

What we discovered is that the current mix of relationships between civil society and digital policy organizations runs the gamut, from active and highly effective alliances to just passing awareness. But there is a widespread and growing understanding and desire to weave together expertise on digital policies, civil society advocacy, and the lived experiences of many communities. Civil society organizations want to understand and be equipped to build, use, and advocate for digital systems and policies that protect people and promote rights.

Experts in digital policy issues want to know and understand how people and organizations are experiencing social, environmental, or economic harms from these systems and be able to help take action to address it.

Both traditional civil society and digital policy organizations see a common, intertwined fate for the future of democracy, human well-being, and essential rights; recognize the power of connection; and are eager to have support to be able to develop more and new ways to work together. Organizations unsurprisingly highlighted funding and resource-support needs that are foundational for any meaningful and sustainable social change. These included long-term and general funding in order to develop expertise and capacity, as well as funding that is ecosystem-focused and flexible to support diverse organizations and integrated advocacy strategies that can adapt to changing dynamics.

They also highlighted direct support for relationship building, common language, and collaboration infrastructure. Our recommendations distill and build on each of these sets of research learnings and focus on the “how” to weave the way forward to build a healthy civil society ecosystem for the digital age.

We have identified some tangible steps that the philanthropic and organizational community can take, starting from where we found that people and organizations are now, and then tiering support to further build collective strength. It should begin with robust support for The Core - existing diverse alliances of organizations who are modeling digital civil society in action. It is critical that The Core be in a position to both continue their substantive, collaborative work and also have the time and resources to support The Energized - groups ready to engage on digital policy for the first time - and connect and share knowledge with the far broader circle of The Affected - groups that are ready to learn, but need support to do so.

The world is now digital and institutions committed to supporting a healthy civil society ecosystem must similarly adapt by understanding these new realities and supporting the learning, collaboration, and infrastructure needed for a robust digital civil society. This report illustrates some important ways forward."

Abstract:

"Canada's immigration policy is regarded globally as a best practice model for selecting highly skilled migrants. Yet, upon arrival many immigrants face challenges integrating into employment. Where immigrants settle is one factor that has been shown to impact on employment integration. In Canada, regionalization policies have resulted in more immigrants settling in small to mid-sized cities. It is important to understand how these local systems are organized to promote immigrant integration into employment.

Using a systems approach, this paper presents a case study of immigrant employment in a mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada. Through a document review and stakeholder interviews, a systems map was developed, and local perspectives were analyzed.

Results demonstrate that in a mid-sized city, few organizations play a large role in immigrant employment. The connections between these core organizations and the local labour market are complex. Any potential challenges to the system that interfere with these connections can cause a delay for newcomers seeking employment. As cities begin to experience growth driven by immigration, there is a need to ensure local services are not only available but also working effectively within the larger employment system."

Summary:

"Social media is increasingly being leveraged by researchers to engage in public debates and rapidly disseminate research results to health care providers, health care users, policy makers, educators, and the general public.

This paper contributes to the growing literature on the use of social media for digital knowledge mobilization, drawing particular attention to TikTok and its unique potential for collaborative knowledge mobilization with underserved communities who experience barriers to health care and health inequities (eg, equity-seeking groups).

Setting the TikTok platform apart from other social media are the unique audiovisual video editing tools, together with an impactful algorithm, that make knowledge dissemination and exchange with large global audiences possible. As an example, we will discuss digital knowledge mobilization with trans and nonbinary (trans) communities, a population that experiences barriers to health care and is engaged in significant peer-to-peer health information sharing on the web. To demonstrate, analytics data from 13 selected TikTok videos on the topic of research on gender-affirming medicine (eg, hormonal therapy and surgeries) are presented to illustrate how knowledge is disseminated within the trans community via TikTok.

Considerations for researchers planning to use TikTok for digital knowledge mobilization and other related community engagement with equity-seeking groups are also discussed. These include the limitations of TikTok analytics data for measuring knowledge mobilization, population-specific concerns related to community safety on social media, the spread of disinformation, barriers to internet access, and commercialization and intellectual property issues.

This paper concludes that TikTok is an innovative social media platform that presents possibilities for achieving transformative, community-engaged knowledge mobilization among researchers, underserved health care users, and their health care providers, all of whom are necessary to achieve better health care and population health outcomes."

Summary:

"TESOL Technology Standards were developed for language teachers to better understand how to use technology
appropriately. This article explores the following questions: (1) After 10 years since its publication, are the TESOL Technology Standards for Language Teachers (2011) still applicable to the current educational context? and (2) What potential updates are needed?

To answer these questions, a panel of practitioners with expertise and experience in language teaching, computer-assisted language Learning (CALL), and instructional technology were recruited to provide perspectives. Data collection utilized an online survey and a semi-structured interview protocol.

Findings reveal that the TESOL Technology Standards for Language Teachers remain applicable and helpful to teachers in current contexts.

However, further updates for performance indicators are needed, such as learning with mobile applications, learner data privacy, and other issues that have been emerging over the decade. Addressing this need is crucial for furthering the research and guiding teacher education programs, teacher educators, individual teachers and other relevant stakeholders who pursue the effective technology integration in current and future educational contexts. Informed by qualitative data, this research recommends using the TESOL Technology Standards for Language Teachers as guidelines to train teachers for technology integration."

Based on survey responses from 7500+ participants across 136 countries, this report provides the largest ever mapping of the digital barriers facing civil society organizations — and those faced by the communities they serve. It provides data across a range of issues, including access, affordability, digital skills, policy, and funding for digital equity efforts.

Report launch webinar:

Recommendations for civil society, governments & policy makers, philanthropy, and corporations:

Civil society

• Educate your partners and funders. Use the survey and let them know how they can support digital equity solutions for your community. Include internet access as a direct program cost in your budget.
• Build the case for digital equity with your communities. We have made the survey questions freely available for your use and re-run with your community so you have your own data to work with.
• Partner with those leading the fight for digital equity. Organizations like National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Association for Progressive Communications, Internet Society, EndlessOS.com, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Access Now, TechSoup Global Network, and Electronic Frontier Foundation are among the frontline CSOs who are working on digital rights and equity. Learn from them, connect with them, and figure out how we can all support each other’s work.

Governments, policymakers and regulators

• Form a multi-stakeholder task force to advise government and regulatory authorities on digital infrastructure development, deployment, and the role civil society and other organizations can play to advance digital equity. Here are some policy resources from Mozilla.
• Establish transparency mechanisms through Open Telecom Data policy and regulation to map the availability of internet infrastructure to identify areas that need more investment, where backhaul can be found, and provide a foundation for public engagement on access issues.
• Invest more and differently to advance digital equity. Market-based approaches have failed too many people. Explore models that are successfully connecting the unconnected; invest in unbiased policy advice; support specialized intermediaries that can get communities investment-ready; fully deploy Universal Service & Access Funds (USAFs), and adopt models like those used for Green Banks, providing unsecured loans to internet service providers who are willing and able to end the digital divide in your country.
• Ensure that laws encourage community connectivity providers such as community or municipal networks to operate. Ensure that they are eligible for USAFs, have access to spectrum, and can benefit from accelerated licensing and authorization processes.

Philanthropy

• Understand how digital inequity impacts your grantees. Our digital privilege can blind us to how painful persistent digital divides are for many others who are less connected. Talk to your grantees about their needs and ask how you can help. Consider conducting workshops or surveys (or re-run this one) so you have your own data to work with. Educate your team and board so they fully understand the reality of digital inequity and how it impedes your grantees and ultimately your mission. If you’d like help facilitating this, reach out.
• Learn how your peers are helping their grantees to overcome digital barriers. Consider joining or starting a donor learning community, check out CIRA’s guide to funding digital equity, and explore TAG’s information on supporting civil society’s technology needs.
• Get started and learn as you go. This issue can’t wait. Grantmakers need to stop assuming others will solve this problem and start investing in digital equity. There are many ways to begin. For instance, you could offer one-time capacity-building grants for your grantees to develop a digital strategy; add a line item for tech in every grant so your partners have the digital tools they need; develop program related investments (PRIs) for critical digital infrastructure. Of course, you can also invest in the many brilliant organizations working directly to close digital divides. Figure out what works for you and your mission, and get started.

Private Sector

• Build digital equity into your ESG. The digital divide has negative environmental, social, and governance implications — in addition to being bad for business and the economy. Working digital equity investments and partnerships into your ESG portfolio can mitigate numerous risks while expanding markets. Read articles from the World Economic Forum and Global Business Coalition for Education to learn more.
• Make digital equity investments as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. Many corporate offices and distribution centers are significantly better connected than the surrounding communities where employees live. Consider partnerships like Santander Consumer USA and Compudopt that leverages existing infrastructure to increase connectivity.
• Speak up for Digital Equity. Connectivity gaps, like all infrastructure failures, limit access to markets and increase the costs of business. These gaps persist in large part because traditional providers often don’t invest in low-income and rural communities. But there are other community-based models that are. Provide political and financial backing for models like these to grow economic opportunities, future customers, and human progress.

This report is based on a survey conducted in partnership between Connect Humanity and TechSoup, and with additional distribution from CIVICUS, FORUS, NTEN, and WINGS.

The survey questions are available to download. If you are a researcher interested in access to the raw, anonymized survey data, please email community@connecthumanity.fund to discuss.

This report presents a review of relevant literature and an analysis of 25 programmes selected from across the world that have used innovative information and communication technologies (ICTs) in literacy and education for refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

It answers the following three questions:

1. What are the main literacy issues refugees, migrants and IDPs face?
2. How do different approaches that use ICTs affect the literacy teaching and learning of youth and adult refugees, migrants and IDPs?
3. Which strategies are used by ICT-supported literacy and education programmes for youth and adult refugees, migrants and IDPs to overcome common implementation challenges?

Thematic findings

Generally, the global population of non-literate youth and adults remains a major challenge. There is evidence of persistent inequality in realizing the right to education for all. Existing literature reveals that national and global data on the literacy of youth and adult refugees, migrants and IDPs are extremely limited, possibly due to a lack of prominence in international legal and policy instruments, and national education agendas.

While ICTs, from radio to computers, have long  been used in education, there is limited evidence to show how effective they have been in supporting literacy and education programmes for refugees, migrants and IDPs; however, the 25 programmes analysed in this report reveal that ICTs play an important role in overcoming barriers to learning for these target groups. The  strategies followed by these innovative ICT-supported literacy and education programmes are elaborated across six thematic areas:

1. Access and inclusion
2. Capacity-building for teachers and educators
3. Relevant content and innovative andragogy
4. Monitoring and evaluation
5. Strategic partnerships
6. Recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of learning

This report offers four major insights for governments, providers and learners.

1. There is a significant gap in our understanding of literacy and literacy provision for youth and adult refugees, migrants and IDPs.
2. Technological innovations that combine established, low-cost, non-digital technologies and methods – such as interactive radio instruction (IRI) – and advanced technologies offer encouraging possibilities to scale-up literacy and education programmes.
3. Learners need to be central to the design, implementation and improvement of ICT-supported literacy programmes, which should address their specific learning needs, personal experiences and learning environment – including their community and commute to and from learning instruction.
   
4. Local, national and international cross-border strategic partnerships are critical for developing effective ICT-supported literacy and education programmes.

Recommendations

At the global level:

• Collect comprehensive and disaggregated data on literacy rates of youth and adult refugees, migrants and IDPs.
  
• Improve recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) mechanisms, including for prior and independent learning achievements.
• Expand existing research agendas to include the ICT and literacy practices of youth and adult refugees, IDPs and migrant learners in low- and middle-income countries as well as the vulnerable populations within these groups, such as those with disabilities.

At the national level:

• Improve ICT infrastructure to increase coverage where refugees, migrants and IDPs reside.
• Ensure quality and affordable access to ICT devices and internet connectivity for the learning, communication and information needs of refugees, migrants and IDPs.
• Integrate monitoring and evaluation into literacy and education programmes to respond to feedback from learners, educators and other stakeholders, and to demonstrate impact and efficacy.

At the programme level:

• Provide continuous professional development for educators, facilitators and teachers in the use of technologies for effective literacy instruction with learners from refugee, migrant and internally displaced backgrounds, including training in socio-emotional and trauma support.
• Include educators, facilitators, teachers and other education personnel in the design of technology-supported programmes to ensure instructional  effectiveness.
• Consult with and involve target learners in the design of ICT-supported literacy programmes and throughout programme implementation to ensure relevance.
• Develop and adapt content to learners’ needs, taking into consideration their everyday experiences; their literacy, numeracy and broader education levels;  their knowledge of different types of ICT; and their diverse cultural backgrounds and languages.
• Document the impact of programmes not just on the target groups’ literacy but also on other aspects of their well-being.
• Harness strategic partnerships to enhance the strength and mitigate the challenges of programmes that use ICT for literacy and education.
• Integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles when developing programmes to ensure that all aspects of content; teaching approaches; ICT modalities; and assessment, monitoring and evaluation recognize, accommodate and assist learners who are at risk of exclusion.

Below and for download is the English version of the report. It is also available in French, Spanish, & Arabic.

Abstract

"This research explores newcomers' experiences in using information and communication technologies (ICTs) for settlement purposes. In particular, it focuses on their uses of Settlement.Org, a website that provides information and resources about settling in Ontario. The objective of this study is to understand the role played by Settlement.Org both as an informing and involving environment, allowing users to engage in discussion on its online forum. Survey questionnaires (face-to-face and online) and in-depth interviews were conducted with Settlement.Org users and its managing organization, OCASI.

The findings show that 'informing' and 'involving' are complementary functions, as Settlement.Org provides information and resources about settling, and encourages the formation of a virtual community. The study also suggests that Settlement.Org is more than a website. It is a resource that has potential to address newcomers' concerns, to encourage participation and dialogue, and to contribute to the broader inclusion of newcomers in Canadian society."

Abstract

"Little is known about how efective Canadian settlement organizations are in meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) immigrants. The authors conducted a two-stage content analysis of the inclusion of LGBTQ immigrants in 34 settlement organizations in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, and on the delivery of services by nine settlement organizations that self-described as LGBTQ-positive spaces. Stage 1 deductive content analysis findings revealed poor inclusion and support for LGBTQ immigrants. Stage 2 inductive content analysis indings revealed four service priority areas: health/well-being, community connections, advocacy/education, and disability. Recommendations for best practices are discussed."