How we work with wireless municipalities:

As a Developer of Educational Content

In 2003 Digital Watershed was originally conceived as an organization producing wireless content in the same model as community access television. In those days little was known about the future of municipal wireless networks. Since then we've all become a bit smarter.

Today, Minneapolis has established one of the leading metropolitan programs in wireless services. Allowing residents to connect anywhere, anytime supports our educational goal of providing wireless e-learning tools for school children. Through citywide connectivity they can expand their learning beyond the classroom and into the community.

Of course, any resident can take advantage of these tools, not just school children. Though our educational programs do not depend upon a full-coverage citywide network (a robust network of hotspot will work just fine), we think it is a good fit with our goals.


Our World Class Initiative and its Creative and Development Team will be developing interactive Tool Templates that students can access through handheld devices or laptops while out in the community, or from desktop computers while at home. These tools will be designed to:

  • Connect young people with their community and the world-at-large in new and engaging ways.
  • Allow teachers to quickly and effortlessly develop engaging and meaningful curriculum projects and spend less time mastering ever-changing technology.
  • Allow teachers, parents and students to develop and participate in learning experiences that will advance the learning process and the on-going development of critical thinking skills.
  • Empower lifelong learners of all ages to utilize online and interactive experiences that present content in meaningful, engaging ways while addressing multiple learning styles.
Our educational mission is to increase the opportunities for communities, educators, students and parents to actively explore and participate in meaningful wireless interactive learning adventures and at the same time enable these groups to effectively learn from and support the greater global community.


As part of an RFP

As successful models for muniwireless grow, community-originated content may increasingly be mandated under each new Request for Proposals (RFP). The city of Minneapolis's Wireless Minneapolis program began with an RFP.

As a registered non-profit and charity organization in service of the local community, Digital Watershed looks forward to offering its educational tools to municipalities as muniwireless systems proliferate. However, the community focus of our charter negates exclusivity with any particular RFP respondent (we've been down that road). Digital Watershed seeks foundation funding and other donations to pursue expansion of our educational tools to cities with wireless services.

If your municipality is considering developing an RFP with a Community Benefits Agreement, we suggest that you review this site's Minneapolis RFP page first... then consider inviting us to participate.

 

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© 2007 Digital Watershed. All Rights Reserved.

Spotlight

NEW:

The World Class Initiative

"Wireless Cities — Communities of Interests"
Apr. 16 & 17, 2007


"Wireless Cities — Community Context"
Oct. 6 & 7, 2005


Virtual Architecture
Review using 3D Engine
©2003 Benjamin R. Lindau

Legacy E-learning
Content:Science Education
design by ICONOS

See Community Services