Editor’s note: Mary Evslin is a retired high tech marketing executive and principal in Evslin Consulting. For more information on “Vermont’s Digital Future” visit www.e4vt.org.
Imagine a Vermont in which everyone has Internet access, is trained to use it, and can afford it. Fortunately, many groups are working towards that goal. Broadband is transforming the way we get things done — including health care, education, business, government and economic development. On May 8, people from across Vermont will be exploring what this means during “Vermont’s Digital Future” conference at Champlain College in Burlington. More significantly, they will be recommending the policies that need to be in place to assure that we reach this vision.
What could our health system become? We could have neighborhood health clinics linked to major medical centers. Health providers with all levels of training could staff these centers to screen patients and consult with remotely located physicians as needed. Online medical records can be easily shared with the appropriate nurses, physicians and specialists without delay. People who are sick could stay at home and use a service like Skype to “see” the nurse. For patients needing longer term care, appliances connected to the home computer can monitor heart rates, blood sugar, weight changes and other indicators. Family members, local health centers, and even nurses working from their homes can also be given access to this real-time information 24 hours a day.
Education will be different. Every student will have a computing device and learning will be more personalized. Today students don’t know if they’ve internalized the material until they take their final exam, and that is too late. Computerized lessons know when students are not “getting” something after three missed questions and will make them go back until they have it right or will email the teacher asking for one-on-one help. A strong writer may need to repeat a math section a few times. Mathematicians may need to repeat psychology lessons. Teachers will be true mentors by unlocking the obstacles to learning.
If there is a student that still doesn’t master the material, there are ways to engage them. What about learning math using architectural proportions or studying the universe through a game? And if enrichment is needed, take a free online class from Champlain College or MIT.
How about economic development? New investment opportunities like Kickstarter and other online micro-investment services are available to fund traditional and nontraditional ventures. Students at Champlain recently designed a computer game that was funded with the help of investors from across the country. New virtual employment opportunities abound. Jet Blue already provides phone customer service that allows trained individuals around the country to sign on from home when they want to work and sign off when they get tired or have other things to do. Most colleges have online courses now that allow retired and part time teachers to manage the students’ work from anywhere.
For those comfortable in the digital world its opportunities and benefits are enormous, whether you’re a student in Burlington or a retiree in the Kingdom. But these opportunities require basic training in navigating the online world, specialized competencies for your field of work or interest, and lowered barriers of cost and access. Truly participating in the digital age is not as simple as pressing a power button on the nearest computer. And many Vermonters are falling behind. It will take a concerted and determined statewide effort to assure what we imagine will actually come true. The May 8 conference on our digital future will be an important step in that direction.
