PASCUA YAQUI CONNECTION
COMMUNITY RESOURCE LAB STUDY

J. David Betts, Ph.D.
Department of Language, Reading and Culture
University of Arizona. USA
bettsj@u.arizona.edu

ABSTRACT: The Pascua Yaqui Community Resource Lab is the computer facility established on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation by the Pascua Yaqui Connection project.  The U.S. Department of Commerce Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program funded this joint effort of the PY Tribe, Pima Community College and the University of Arizona. This evaluation was conducted in the last year of the project and consists of many visits to the lab on the reservation, results of a survey given to a large sample over the past two years, and a multimedia presentation on CD-Rom that is described below.  The community New Pascua Pueblo is located southwest of Tucson adjacent to the much larger Tohono O’odham Nation.  


    This study is based on the activities related to the Pascua Yaqui Community Resource lab, the context that was created and the lab’s role in the community (Nardi,1 997). It consists of observations, many of which were videotaped, during visits to the lab and meetings with stakeholders, and results of a survey given to a large sample of local users over the last year.  Data was collected about how people were using the lab, and how they were feeling about it.  They were asked to talk about their participation and to describe what they were doing.
    Major goals identified for the Pascua Yaqui Connection project were:
   Stakeholders were hoping for improved high school retention, heightened interest in science careers, on-line student services such as tutoring, and support for the development of Yoeme (Yaqui) language communications.
The anticipated project outcomes:
    Many of these goals and desired outcomes were realized. School age children reported that the lab was very useful; most don’t have a computer at home. They were proud of their typing skills, handy with word processing, and comfortable in the high tech environment. Although it is difficult to track high school grades and retention (due to lack of Inter- Governmental Agreements such data cannot be shared between the tribe and the local school district), many high school, college and professional-level students took advantage of the lab to do school work. Young adults said that they used it to do things for their job.  Teachers noted their appreciation for the facility as a resource for their students. Teachers in the charter school and neighboring intermediate and alternative schools report that the lab is a valuable resource helping them keep students focused on school.  Almost one quarter of the people living in New Pascua Pueblo registered and used the lab.  Twenty-seven percent of those surveyed would opt for the lab being open all the time, or 24/7.  Importantly, the tribe has shown that it is willing to take over the operation of the lab and continue to integrate it into its many education programs.
    We conducted an integrated study that included both quantitative and qualitative methods. (Reilly, 1996)  Likert-scaled questionnaires were administered during registration and from one to six months later.  During the last year of the project consistent observation was conducted, including videotaping of lab activities and interviews with stakeholders. The purpose was to capture the atmosphere of the lab and see its many uses.  The portable building, the sounds, the comings and goings, the classes and the exploring that took place as part of the lab’s regular use were recorded (Moll, 1992).
    A 30-item User Registration Survey that captured demographic and attitudinal data was created and administered as part of the lab’s new user registration procedure.  During the last year of the project, a streamlined 18-item posttest, based on an item analysis of the results of the pretest instrument (see discussion below), was delivered to the lab in September 2001.  All users, new and registered, were asked to complete it.

Demographics: In the Pretest sample (N-166), 87 were male and 90 were female. Thirty-seven individuals (22%) reported having a computer at home.  Most respondents reported English as their Native Language.  The results were: English-84, Spanish-2, Yoeme (Yaqui)-31, English/Spanish-20, English/Yoeme–2, and 2 reported being tri-lingual in English, Spanish, and Yoeme.  Fifty-three percent had graduated from high school.  And, 83% reported their ethnicity as Native American (see table one).



     Pre N=166    
 Post N=94
Male
  87
  47
Female
  90
  47
Computer
at home
  22%
  17%
High school grad
  53%
  83%
Native Language
  English   84
 Spanish    2
 Yoeme   31
 E/S         20
 E/Y          2
 E/S/Y       2
  English    62
 Spanish     1
 Yoeme      1
 E/S          22
 E/Y         11
 E/S/Y      11
Avg. Age
  21 range 2-59
  18.1 range 7-56
id N.A. 
  83% 
  75%



 
Table one. Sample Demographics

   The posttest sample, as of February 2002, consisted of 94 lab users (47 male and 47 female), ranging from age 7 to 56. Seventeen percent had a computer in their home. English speakers constituted 65% of the sample, while English/Spanish speakers comprised 24% of the sample. Eighty-three percent had completed high school.  Seventy-five percent self-identified as Native-Americans. Twenty-seven percent (27%) wanted the lab to be open 24 hours, 7 days a week (this was a new item on the post survey).

CD-ROM: The Pascua Yaqui Connection CD-ROM that accompanies this report includes data in form of charts, pictures, text such as interviews questionnaires, inventories, findings and analysis and two-dozen video clips showing the lab being used and discussed by students and teachers, community members and staff. There are examples of the Even Start and Head Start lab sessions, after school activities for recreation and scholarship, and the family Christmas card workshop.  Teachers talk about the impact the lab has had on some of their students. Staff members talk about what folks are using the lab for and how its use has grown. Video shows the lab in use by community members. They talked about what they were doing and what it meant to them. Comments included, for example:

Findings: The lab has become a neighborhood resource, known as a safe place for after school activities, and parents became involved after checking it out for their kids. Young people came to the lab to use e-mail and surf on the web.  They learned the value of the Internet for information and the need for critical thinking in the unmonitored world of information on-line.  They have experimented with chat rooms and found that too many were not appropriate for an educational setting and many people on them were not to be trusted.  Music and fashion, games and research seemed to be the most common uses for the web among youth.  Many got free-mail accounts, such as Yahoo and others, and used it them communicate with their friends.
     Students reported that they found it useful to practice typing and to use the word processor for schoolwork at the lab.  This created authentic literacy experiences for those who were learning to use written language.  They also used the lab opportunities to just become comfortable using PC’s, playing games and finding their favorite music. Some students showed and talked about how the lab helped them with school.  Adults used it for professional development and for writing projects.   The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Police used the lab for training, as did the casino and the human resources office.   Several summer programs were offered where individuals created family albums. Families came to take workshops together. One instance yielded personalized Christmas cards with digital family portraits. The newly formed Pascua Yaqui Youth Council used the lab as an office to prepare its agendas and announcements on the computers.
    The posttest sample, as of February 2002, consisted of 94 lab users (47 male and 47 female), ranging from age 7 to 56. Seventeen percent had a computer in their home. English speakers constituted 65% of the sample, while English/Spanish speakers comprised 24% of the sample. Eighty-three percent had completed high school.  Seventy-five percent self-identified as Native-Americans. Twenty-seven percent (27%) wanted the lab to be open 24 hours, 7 days a week (this was a new item on the post survey).

T-Test:  A paired (dependent) t-test was performed to compare the means of 18 questions asked during pre- and post-test applications. Mean differences were found among eight questions, suggesting that the attitudes of the subjects toward computer use, in particular for communication, have positively changed between the time of pre and post test assessments. The items that showed significant change were about electronic communication and the new tools they had for getting and sharing information. Each item consisted of a five-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree, 5 being highest agreement.  

I enjoy using the computer to communicate with my classmates.
Pre 3.32, Post 4.14    post-pre  Mean diff.= .83
Std Dev 1.765    p=.000

I enjoy using the computer to communicate with my teachers.
Pre 3.04, Post 4.10    post-pre  Mean diff.=.96
Std Dev 1.675    p=.000

Using a computer gives me more chances to practice English.
Pre 3.62, Post 4.03    post-pre  Mean diff.=.41
Std Dev 1.517    p=.000

E-mail helps people learn from each other.
Pre 3.55, Post 4.25    post-pre  Mean diff.=.70
Std Dev 1.626    p=.023

An advantage of using e-mail is you can contact people any time you want.
Pre 3.85, Post 4.21    post-pre  Mean diff.=.35
Std Dev 1.382    p=.000

Writing to others by e-mail helps me develop my thoughts and ideas.
Pre 3.39, Post 4.28    post-pre  Mean diff.=.89
Std Dev 1.601    p=.023

Using e-mail and the Internet makes me feel part of a community.
Pre 3.40, Post 4.09    post-pre  Mean diff.=.69
Std Dev 1.746    p=.000

Using e-mail and the Internet is a good way to learn more about different people and cultures.
Pre 3.86, Post 4.33    post-pre  Mean diff.=.47
Std Dev 1.663    p=.014
Table Two. Paired T-test items

    It should be noted that for these items that showed significant differences the attitudes of participants toward the lab and technology was already positive. The experience reinforced their attitudes. The other questions did not show any significant change between these two assessments, indicating that the participants already had positive attitudes toward the computer use and they kept the same attitudes throughout the duration of this study.

Discussion: The Pascua Yaqui Community Resource Lab is known as a safe place for after school activities, and parents became involved after checking it out for their kids. Young people came to the lab to use e-mail and surf on the web.  They learned the value of the Internet for information and the need for critical thinking in the unmonitored world of information on-line.  They have experimented with chat rooms and found that too many were not appropriate for an educational setting and many people on them were not to be trusted.  Music and fashion, games and research seemed to be the most common uses for the web among youth.  Many got free-mail accounts, such as Yahoo and others, and used it them communicate with their friends.
    Students reported that they found it useful to practice typing and to use the word processor for schoolwork at the lab.  This created authentic literacy experiences for those who were learning to use written language.  They also used the lab opportunities to just become comfortable using PC’s, playing games and finding their favorite music. Some students showed and talked about how the lab helped them with school.  Adults used it for professional development and for writing projects.   The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Police used the lab for training, as did the casino and the human resources office.   Several summer programs were offered where individuals created family albums. Families came to take workshops together. One instance yielded personalized Christmas cards with digital family portraits. The newly formed Pascua Yaqui Youth Council used the lab as an office to prepare its agendas and announcements on the computers.

Works Cited:

Moll, L. and Greenberg, J. "Creating zones of possibilities: Combining social contexts for instruction". In Luis Moll (1992) (Ed) Vygotsky and Education, New York, NY:Cambridge University Press.

Nardi, B. (1997) Context and Consciousness: Activity Theory and Human-Computer Interaction. Cambridge, MA:MIT Press

Reilly, B. (1996) New technologies, new literacies, new problems, in Fisher,C., Dwyer, D., Yoakam, K. (eds.), Education and Technology, Reflections on Computing in Classrooms, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.