Tech Talk » Director’s Desk

MESA Students join Hack for Change – Seattle

Megan Coppersmith — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:46:04 +0000

We’re thrilled that more than 40 students, MESA Advisors and parents from the MESA Washington program will join Hack for Change – Seattle on Saturday, June 1. MESA students are developing an application to address the problem of managing students’ assignments and projects. The students’ application is called “MESA Solutions for Learning” which should make managing any student tasks fun, inspiring and attainable for the struggling, as well as motivated, students.

The high-school students will also work with software developers in workshops and open-data advocates to build applications and visualizations. These applications are based on the data available on data.seattle.gov, Seattle’s open data platform. The day-long event will culminate in the presentation and judging of MESA team projects, and awarding prizes to the winners.

For more information, visit codeforseattle.org or follow #Hack4Seattle on Twitter or seattle.opendata on Facebook.

Thanks to 2,931 Seattle residents!

David Keyes — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:10:55 +0000

A big THANK YOU to more than 2,900 residents who completed our residential technology survey!

Over the past few months, 803 people completed our random phone survey and 2,128 people took the survey online. Thank you for caring about Seattle’s technological future and taking the time to tell us how we can communicate more effectively throughout the city.

Your survey responses will help guide the City of Seattle’s work on digital equity, broadband services, public outreach and engagement, cable franchising, the Seattle Channel, and the City’s web and social media. We also hope your responses will be useful to community groups and educators, and others planning to deliver information and applications to our diverse residents.

If you’d like to receive a note when the results come out, email us at communitytechnology@seattle.gov.

THANK YOU.

Volunteers sought for City of Seattle Technology Advisory Board

David Keyes — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:00:27 +0000

The City of Seattle is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our tech advisory board. Applications are being taken through January 18th, 2013. The Board and committees help guide city strategies and investments in our digital future. The ten member Citizens’ Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB – seattle.gov/cttab) advises the City on broadband deployment and adoption, mobile and web based services for Seattle.gov, social media, open data, online public engagement, the Seattle Channel, cable tv franchise agreements, Technology Matching Fund grants and efforts to close the digital divide. There are currently two positions open on the Board, as well as opportunities to participate in project committees. We strongly value broad experience and diverse participation.

See more about the technology advisory board at seattle.gov/cttab. Please email any questions or apply by sending your resume and letter of interest to CommunityTechnology@seattle.gov.

The City of Seattle is committed to promoting diversity in the city’s boards and commissions. Women, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, young persons, senior citizens, persons of color, and immigrants are encouraged to apply. You must be a City of Seattle resident or work in Seattle.

Additional information:
Position requirements (consider before applying)

Applicants must:
- either reside or work in Seattle
- not be employed by the City of Seattle
- not serve on more than one City of Seattle board or commission
- attend monthly meetings (2nd Tuesday, 6-8 pm, generally held downtown at Seattle Municipal Tower)
- participate in at least one CTTAB committee (times set according to committee members’ schedules)

Service to the board expected to begin February 2012
This is a two-year appointment, potentially renewable for one additional term
Time commitment (5-10 hours per month, depending upon activity)

Originally posted on Dec 6, 2012.

City & Community host Get Online Week Dec 3-8

David Keyes — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:17:59 +0000

Learn more about what families can do on the Internet and where to go for training. This week, December 3rd-8th, twenty community and cultural centers in Seattle are hosting open houses, individual assistance, and workshops at computer learning centers. See the Get Online Week list of sites and activities or contact Vicky Yuki at 206-233-7877 or vicky.yuki@seattle.gov. Drop by to learn more about using the Internet, online job resources, consumer information, homework help and a world of activities online.

More About Get Online Week and public computing centers:
Get Online Week is being offered by participating centers in partnership with the City of Seattle Department of Information Technology and the Seattle Public Library.

The only way some people have access to computers, the Internet or technology training is to use the services of nearby public computing centers and libraries. Even for those with computers or Internet devices, these centers also offer valuable training in how to find and use essential services and learning materials online. Many of the centers offer instruction in other languages or specialize in serving specific residents, such as youth, seniors, or the disabled community.

Get Online Week started in 2010 as a one-day event at 10 participating centers in Seattle’s central and south neighborhoods. Get Online Weeks are also held in Europe. This Community Technology education program is part of the City’s effort to ensure digital inclusion and foster broadband adoption.

Two openings on tech advisory board

D'Anne — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:06:29 +0000

Applications are being taken through Feb. 1st for two volunteer positions on City of Seattle Technology Advisory Board.

The ten member Citizens’ Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB – seattle.gov/cttab) helps guide city strategies and investments in our digital future, including broadband deployment and adoption, Seattle Channel and Seattle.gov services, cable tv franchise agreements, Technology Matching Fund grants and efforts to close the digital divide.

For these two-year volunteer positions, the City is looking for people with the time to serve and interest or expertise in one or more of these areas:

• the future of television programming and digital journalism

• strategic partnerships and broadband development

Applications will be taken through Feb 1, 2012. See more details about the position requirements and the Board at http://www.seattle.gov/cttab/ . Please email your resume and letter of interest to CommunityTechnology@seattle.gov.

Join CTO at City Business Casual

D'Anne — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 23:32:45 +0000

Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chief Technology Officer Bill Schrier and Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce President Phil Bussey will on hand for City Business Casual on February 10, 5-7 p.m. in the Polar Bar of the Artic Club Hotel at Third and Cherry.

City Business Casual is sponsored each month by the Seattle Office of Economic Development to help business owners and advocates meet and mingle with City elected officials, department directors and staff.

My.Seattle.Gov for City business

D'Anne — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:11:20 +0000

It just got easier to receive information and do business with the City! Personalize the services and features you use most at the new My.Seattle.Gov. Pick what’s useful to you: receive crime stats for your neighborhood, have quick access to multiple news feeds, see what events are occurring in your community, and view Seattle Channel videos. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

What do you think of public access TV?

D'Anne — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:45:30 +0000

Please share your vision, opinions and suggestions on the future of public access television in Seattle. We’ve extended the deadline for the online survey and questionnaire until January 31, 2011, at http://www.seattle.gov/cable/publicaccesstv.htm. Thank you for participating!

Online survey: future of public access in Seattle

D'Anne — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:06:26 +0000

Please share your vision, opinions and suggestions on the future of public access television in Seattle. An online survey and questionnaire are available until January 21, 2011, at http://www.seattle.gov/cable/publicaccesstv.htm

Thank you for participating!

Public workshop on public access television

D'Anne — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:32:01 +0000

SEATTLE – Since 2001 the City’s public access channels have been operated by Seattle Community Access Network (SCAN) under a contract with the City. This contract expires at the end of 2010, and the City will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to seek a public access provider for the next contract period. The City is seeking public input to inform the RFP process and help develop a new business model for public access television.

Seattle’s Citizen’s Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB) and Office of Cable Communications will host a free public workshop on January 11, 2011, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Garfield Community Center, 2323 East Cherry St, Seattle, 98122.

Producers, viewers, community groups and all those interested in the future of public access are invited to participate. The purpose of the workshop is to develop achievable goals for public access in Seattle that reflect a reduced level of public funding and that supplement traditional television cablecasting by incorporating new media technologies.

More information can be found at http://www.seattle.gov/cable/publicaccesstv.htm or by calling Tony Perez, Office of Cable Communications, at 206-386-0070.