Virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the inequities families face around access to and understanding of technology. Three Illinois organizations, with support from a local college, are working together to address that inequity and support local families.

Last year, Illinois Resource Center, Illinois Migrant Council and PCs for People distributed 50 refurbished personal computers to local under-resourced families. These computers will come fully equipped with the latest Windows software package, a year of free IT support and a year of free wireless Internet access via a T-Mobile hotspot.

Last week, those same parents received a free digital literacy course to learn how to use their new devices. Parents from Palatine and Rolling Meadows enrolled at a computer course, underwritten by the IRC and taught at Harper College, featuring basic computer literacy training, primarily in Spanish but also in English. Participating parents learned their devices, and received introductions to the Internet and frequently-used applications. To remove another common barrier to education for adults, the IRC also provided childcare to participating families.

This effort dovetails with the Illinois Resource Center’s new initiative, Computer Science for Every Learner (CSEL), a robust professional development program to provide computer science skills to teachers of linguistically and culturally diverse students. The IRC is currently accepting applications for the second CSEL cohort, and is offering free professional development on a number of topics relating to computer science integration for linguistically and culturally diverse learners.

“As we work to equitably equip students and teachers for a tech-oriented future and job market, we need to be providing those same opportunities and resources to their families as well,” says Silvia V. Rogel, manager of the CSEL program for the IRC. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Illinois Migrant Council and PCs for People in making this happen for these families, and we are proud to do this work.”

For more information on CSEL and how to support this initiative, visit the IRC website or contact cselinfo@cntrmail.org.