TWA- CIS Learning Community: Catalyzing Change for America's Emerging Cybercivilization

Dr. Ronnie B. Lowenstein, Executive Director, TEC Watch Alliance

A Tale of Collaboration:

It was February 6th when Wynn Police Athletic League in Brooklyn hosted the third formal meeting of Communities in Schools (CIS) Learning Community. As Facilitator, I welcomed the participants to the 'Circle of Community.' As I commenced the monthly ritual of sharing, a gentle but firm voice interrupted: May I begin? I have a story of collaboration.

All eyes turned to Kayode Vann, director of CIS PowerUP lab at the Webster PAL in the Bronx. Kayode reminded the group of on-going technical failure in his state of the art computer lab.' The group had responded by offering possible solutions, along with impassioned remarks about their own needs for technical assistance. A proposal for the group to pool resources to secure and share technical assistance pleased the attendees; but that future solution to a shared problem failed to meet Kayode's immediate needs. Concern was alleviated when Solomon Roberts (lab director from Brooklyn's Thomas Jefferson High School) reassured Kayode that he would call and walk him through any technical difficulties.'

Unfortunately, as Kayode explained, even Solomon's expert help over the phone proved insufficient. So, in a generous spirit of community, Solomon committed hands-on support. Later that week, Solomon and a colleague left work and trekked from Brooklyn to the Bronx. Together they worked to reconfigure Kayode's entire lab. Twelve hours later, at 2:30 in the morning, with the 20 computers humming, success was theirs!

As our Learning Community spontaneously applauded Solomon for such commitment to collaboration, Kayode concluded his tale with a gracious surprise & Gifts of a PAL t-shirt and a Framed Photo-Certificate of Appreciation depicting students using the now functioning computers were presented both to Solomon Roberts and to me as facilitator in Recognition of Synergy Brought to the Webster Center Police Athletic League. Kayode's story of collaboration and synergy confirms our early success in cultivating a  community' even among geographically-dispersed technology pioneers.

Emergence of the CIS Learning Community:

The CIS Learning Community was formally launched in December 2002 with representatives of eight organizations in NYC that received state of the art computer labs through a CIS PowerUP grant spring 2002.

Representing . . .

Brooklyn: Brownsville Parks and Recreation Center; Amboy Neighborhood Center for the Homeless; Thomas Jefferson High School; and Wynn Police Athletic League

Bronx: Police Athletic League; IS 162, Academy of Future Technologies; Wildcat Academy III

Manhattan: Manhattan Comprehensive Day and Night High School

The Charter Members all recognized the need to go beyond providing technology access to developing and sustaining wrap-around programs and services that promote empowerment of individuals and organizations. To help realize these fundamental and ambitious goals, CIS -NY has partnered with the TEC Watch Alliance, a broad based collaborative of education stakeholders that shares its visions. Together they have expanded membership opportunities of the CIS Learning Community to all pioneers of social change who believe &

" We are living in an emerging cybercivilization, a tumultuous time of change;

" Individuals can be empowered to address the hyperturbulence in our society and transform the future by engaging in holistic thinking and systemic reform;

" Technology and telecommunications are tools of transformation; Partnership development is a major strategy of transformation;

" Partners committed to dialogue, cooperation and collaboration enable synergies to develop, so the partnerships can accomplish together what no one entity can do alone;

" A learning community is a mechanism to catalyze change and support new interrelational ways of thinking and behaving; activities can be planned to inform and inspire participants to inquire, imagine and invent futures of empowerment.

Collaborative Projects of the TWA-CIS Learning Community

The CIS Learning Community leverages partnerships in planning monthly meetings that respond to the interests of the group. For example, working in conjunction with the TEC Watch Alliance, and through a partnership with Xybernaut Corporation, we are engaged in Action Research on the Impact of Xyberkids Wearable Computers for Special Needs Youth; through a partnership with Discreet, Inc who has donated over$200,000 in 3-D Studio Max Animation Software, and Expert Training at the Major Owens Animation and Virtual Reality Lab at Medgar Evers College, our teams have been empowered to create innovative programming; and through a partnership with the National Foundation of Teaching of Entrepreneurship we are piloting a model of student entrepreneurship with Brownsville Parks and Recreation Center..

Additionally, we have adopted a holistic framework to address the on-going challenges inherent in implementing technology initiatives. The five C's are used to guide our thinking, sharing and strategic planning: C omputer hardware; Connectivity and technical issues; continuing Competency of citizens, Content of quality in software & programs; and Community engagement

We hope that our story of collaboration in our evolving CIS Learning Community will be of service to other pioneers of social change in shaping America's cybercivilization.

 

Yours in synergy, Dr Ronnie Lowenstein RBL50@aol.com