Tech Event

OneWebDay

 “As more of us connect, and as we expect better throughput, the Internet will require upkeep, upgrades and maintenance just like public roads and highways. I live in Wisconsin; right about 90 degrees west longitude and 45 degrees north latitude. In this part of the world the roads are generally free. I’d like to see the Internet freely accessible as well…”

So writes one Midwesterner via the OneWebDay blog. While accessibility is a main issue on that blogger’s mind, what Web-related issues are most important to you? How has the Web helped to facilitate your CYFAR work? How have you helped to make the Web a better place for others? These are a few questions to ponder during the second-annual OneWebDay.

On Sept. 22, you have a chance to join in a global celebration of online life. Inspired by Earth Day, OneWebDay encourages people around the world to take positive, visible actions that not only commemorate the Web and its impact on society, but also illuminate the problems of access and information flow. Nowadays, it’s easy to take the Internet for granted. OneWebDay gives citizens an occasion to reflect on what the Web means to them.

More food for thought from the OneWebDay blog: “There are substantial threats to the free flow of information online, all over the world. Many governments censor online content. Many people in developing nations can’t get online at all. We need to ensure that the Internet used by future generations will be open and empowering—access to the Internet is central to the future of humanity.”

As a CYFAR and/or 4-H professional, there are many actions you can take to celebrate this event:

1. Use the CYFERnet blog to share some of your favorite educational Web sites and how those sites have benefited your program(s).
2. Ask youth and adults in your local 4-H club to create a YouTube video about how they’d like to see the Web change the world.
3. Teach someone else how to post a photo online, start a blog, join a Web forum or edit a wiki.
4. Simply e-mail a recipe to a friend and then make dinner together.

Like the Web itself, the possibilities are endless. Visit the OneWebDay About page for more ideas on how you can participate in this unique and exciting event. But don't let your Web stewardship stop there! The CYFERnet Technology Team urges all CYFAR and 4-H professionals to take ownership of the Web and to use it as a tool for experiential learning—on OneWebDay and each day thereafter.