Case study: Amsterdam Computer Clubhouse

Lenie Brouwer

Amsterdam, 8 January 2003

Ict in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands the Social Cultural Council has been conducted various studies on the possession and use of new media and on the social implications of the information and communication technology (De Haan & Huysmans 2002). According to the government modern civilians nowadays need certain digital skills in order to participate adequately in the information society. Especially ethnic groups, women and old people have a disadvantaged position compared with Dutch people and men. Although women have almost the same access to computers at home as men, there are still some differences. Boys seem to have more affinity with technology than girls, they show a greater interest in technology at school and as a consequence on a professional level. This male dominance has also implications for the gender scripts of technology products (Van Zoonen 2000).

One of the findings of a recent study is that youth mainly acquire computer skills at home and less at school. 84% of the 1213 pupils interviewed has a computer with an Internet connection at home, the group without a computer, all ethnic groups, mostly used computers at public places like libraries (De Haan & Huysmans 2002). Another survey confirmed this digital divide between Dutch and ethnic minorities and concluded that more research is needed about the way ethnic groups acquire these skills (Steyart & De Haan 2002: 86).

Computer Centers
The above conclusions about the digital divide have led to a special government policy of ICT and some particular initiatives to improve the access of ethnic minorities to the Internet (see website Ministry BZK). One of these projects is called Digital Center, a place where one can learn digital skills, situated in social weak areas in the big cities. The goals of these computer centers are:

1. Diminishing the digital divide and improving self-empowerment of citizens.

2. Improving the labour market position of citizens through acquiring specific computer skills.

3. Improving the social cohesion of a neighbourhood through community building between various groups of different ethnic backgrounds.

In the year 2000 the computer center project has been launched in 25 cities and the goal has been recently extended with the question how ICT can be used to improve the social quality of a surrounding (see website Social Quality Matters). In Amsterdam two community centers has been set up, one in the eastern part and one in the western part of the city. On a national day where most computer centers presented their first results I met some staff member of the computer clubhouse in Amsterdam West who invited me to visit the place.

Amsterdam Computer Clubhouse
In December 2001 the Computer Clubhouse has been started in the building of School in a neighborhood where many ethnic minorities live. On the website of the computer clubhouse they present themselves as a meeting place for youth where they can develop their own interests, elaborate their computer skills and build self confidence through the use of technology. Three staff members and more than ten mentors on a voluntary basis are working in the clubhouse.

In addition this Computer Clubhouse is part of a world wide Intel Computer Clubhouse Network that provides under-served youth to use technological tools by creating original work, express themselves with technology and develop self-esteem and self-efficacy (see website Computerclubouse.org). 66 Computer Clubhouses has been already set up in America, Europe and India and there are plans for more centers in other countries. The first Clubhouse has been established in Boston, in the Boston Museum of Science. The technology of the Clubhouses has been developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab.

The Center for Children and Technology evaluate a small group of Clubhouses to understand whether and how the activities engage with the Clubhouse goals (Pryor 2001). With respect to my study it will be very interesting to contact this group of researchers. Staff members and mentors of all the different clubhouses have annual meetings in Boston to educate themselves and exchange experiences.

Goal and research questions
The goal of the research is the gain more insight in the way young people appropriate digital skills and whether they empower themselves with reference to ICT. What difficulties and what positive results can we identify in this process of appropriation? What social networks does the Computer Clubhouse have and what kind of influence do these networks have on the policy of the Clubhouse? In the international Net culture proposal three areas of research are mentioned, the consumers, the cultural producers and the web material, I will these also use to specify more my questions:

Consumers
What is the socio-cultural background of the consumers or visitors of the Clubhouse? (ethnic, sex, school type, access at home to the Internet) Does the Clubhouse reach the group of young people according to their goals? What is the meaning of the Clubhouse for these young people? What is the place of the Clubhouse in their daily life?
Referring to the digital skills visitors learn, what kind of technology do they like or not like to use? An important objective is that the digital skills will develop their self-esteem and self- confidence, the question is whether this is the case?
One of the findings of the literature is the different relation with technology between the sexes. For that reason I will focus on the girls, how many girls visit the clubhouse and how do they appropriate these skills?

Producers
With this group is meant the staff, mentors and board members of the Clubhouse and the local
council. What is their vision on the work in the Clubhouse? What kinds of difficulties and positive developments do they observe? What kinds of networks do they have with other institutions and what is the meaning of this for the policy of the work in the Clubhouse?

Web material
With respect to the material young people produce on the Web, it will be analysed how they express or present themselves.

Methods of research
As already has been written in the Net culture proposal a multi-sited-ethnography approach will be adopted, starting from a concrete ICT measure, which is in my case a Computer Clubhouse. I will participate as a mentor in the Clubhouse and observe the visitors in their learning process a few days a week, as I did already in my pilot study. I should like to follow the whole process of some Internet projects in order to observe the way the visitors appropriate these digital abilities. During my participation informal talks will be held with the visitors about their ideas on the appropriation process of technology.
Semi-structural interviews will be held with the producers and a network analysis will be
applied to the connections of the Clubhouse. Finally, a content analysis will be made of the
Web material made by the visitors.

Time schedule
Until July 2003 I will conduct the case study of the Computer Clubhouse and will report about my research findings. Depending on the results of this project a new phase in the research will be developed next year.

References

Brouwer, L. (2002) Marokkaanse jongeren op internet. Sociologische Gids. 49, p. 121-135.

Dracklé, D. (2002) Net culture and the politics of Ethnic Identity: comparative research on transcultural eGovernment Projects in four National Contexts. Proposal, Bremen: Universität Bremen, November.

Haan, J. de en F. Huysmans (2002) E-cultuur; een empirische verkenning. Den Haag: Sociaal Cultureel Planbureau.

Haan, J. de en F. Huysmans (2002) Van huis uit digitaal; verwerving van digitale vaardigheden tussen thuismilieu en school . Den Haag: Sociaal Cultureel Planbureau.

d'Haenens L., M. Kokhuis, C. van Summeren en H. Beentjes (2001) Allochtone jongeren als 'digitale' burgers: de school als (re)medierende factor? Een verkennende survey. Nijmegen: Universiteit van Nijmegen.
URL: http://infomes.magw.nl/nieuws/allocht-jongeren-dig-burgers.pdf

Marcus, G. (1995) Ethnography in/of the World System: the Emergence of Multi-sited Ethnography. Annual Review Anthropology, volume 24: 95-117.

Minsterie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijkrelaties (2002) Van digitale kloof naar digitale kansen. Den Haag, 5 juli.

Pryor, T., K. McMillan-Culp, S. Lutz & K. John (2001) Evaluation of the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network. Year 1 Short Report-Draft. Boston: Center for Children and Technology. October.

Steyaert, J. en J. de Haan (2001) Geleidelijk digitaal. Een nuchtere kijk op de sociale gevolgen van ict. Den Haag: Sociaal Cultureel Planbureau, december.

Zoonen, L. van (2000) Virtuele vrouwen: Constructies van gender online. Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies 3 (3), p. 37-47.

Websites

Amsterdams Computer Clubhuis
URL: http://www.computerclubhuis.org
URL: http:// www.boogiesite.computerclubhuis.org

Computer Clubhouse
URL: http://www.computerclubhouse.org/

Digitaal Trapveld
URL: http://www.trapveld.nl/

Digitaal Trapveld Amsterdam
URL: http://www.trapveld.amsterdam.nl/

Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijkrelaties, ICT en de Overheid.
URL: http://www.minbzk.nl/

Social Quality Matters: ICT oplossingen voor sociale problemen
URL: http://www.sqm.nl