City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting

Technology for the Community Learning Center

Committee: Community Resources

Total Cost: $20,000

Location: Community Learning Center – Satellite Class

Short Description:

Support students and teachers in an English as a Second Language class at a Community Learning Center (CLC) satellite location by purchasing Chrome Books, a projector, and a portable screen to enhance their learning experience. This class has been funded to be held at least for the next 4 years.

Long Description:

The Community Learning Center (CLC) is a valuable resource within the Cambridge community that offers skill development, education, and community participation, to help community members realize their potential. In collaboration with the Hildebrand Self-Help Center, the CLC is offering a basic English as a Second Language class to Cambridge residents who are looking to enhance their oral, reading, and writing skills. There are currently 16 students enrolled in the class. This class has been funded to run for at least the next 4 years.

This proposal calls for funding Chrome Books, a projector, and a portable screen for this class which takes place on a CLC satellite location. These technology resources would support both students and teachers in enhancing the delivery of lessons to not only help improve the student’s language capabilities, but to also improve their technological literacy.  Teaching students how to navigate the internet to access and search for information is valuable in equipping them with the skills to look for online resources such as job postings and news sources, which will help them become better informed citizens and consumers.

The CLC is always looking for additional resources to support its growing technology infrastructure to support its classes. Although the CLC has already received a funded Participatory Budgeting proposal in 2015 for laptops, this current proposal is separate because it will support a satellite class that currently does not have any Chrome Books, projector, or a portable screen.  In addition, the Director of the Community Learning Center has cited that the laptops purchased for the CLC in 2015 are all being used, and some have had upgrades. The benefits of this proposal for new technology resources will be reaped by residents for years to come.

Sample Chrome Book