Supporting Partnerships to Advance Research and Knowledge (Project SPARK)

SPARK OMB Package

Appendix F: Instrument 6 – Access to and use of technology

Introduction

Thank you for engaging with Project SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Advance Research and Knowledge) to help your agency adapt to disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of Project SPARK generally is to equip state and local TANF programs with tools and skills to be better users and producers of evidence. We are conducting a series of short surveys designed to: (1) get your feedback about the usefulness of technical assistance you have received through Project SPARK around program operations during COVID-19, and (2) learn about how your agency has adapted to address challenges for both staff and customers during this public health crisis. This is the sixth of seven planned surveys. Each survey begins with the same four background questions, followed by a unique set of themed questions. The average response time for this collection of information is 10 minutes.

Providing information is voluntary, and all individual responses collected will be kept private and confidential to the extent permitted by law. Responses will help us improve the technical assistance we provide to programs—both the type of information we provide and the way we provide it—so please be candid. Should you have any questions about this survey or about Project SPARK generally, please contact Michelle Derr, Project SPARK director, at 202-484-4830 or [email protected] with any questions.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 0970-0531 and it expires 5/31/2021.

The following four questions ask for background information about yourself.

1. In what state or territory are you located?

2. How would you describe your organization? (select one)

   1. Government agency (for example, human services, workforce, vocational rehabilitation)

   2. Educational institution (for example, adult basic education, vocational education, community college)

   3. Quasi-governmental (for example, workforce investment board)

   4. Nonprofit provider

   5. For-profit provider or employer

   6. Other (please specify)

3. What is your position within your organization? (select one)

   1. Program manager

   2. Supervisor/lead worker

   3. Program analyst/data specialist

   4. Direct services staff

   5. Other (please specify)

4. How would you describe the community in which your organization operates? (check all that apply)

   1. Urban

   2. Suburban

   3. Rural

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The remaining questions are about access to and use of technology.

5. To what extent has access to technology (including hardware such as computers and other devices as well as access to a reliable internet connection) while working remotely been a problem for staff?

1. Most of the time

2. Some of the time

3. Seldom

4. Never

6. To what extent has knowing how to use technology been a problem for staff?

1. Most of the time

2. Some of the time

3. Seldom

4. Never

7. Using your best guess, roughly what portion of staff at your organization has the following items at home:

   	Everyone	Most staff	About half of staff	Less than half of staff
   A computer	q	q	q	q
   A tablet	q	q	q	q
   A broadband connection	q	q	q	q

8. Using your best guess, roughly what portion of customers served by your organization has access to the following:

   	Everyone	Most customers	About half of customers	Less than half of customers
   A computer	q	q	q	q
   A tablet	q	q	q	q
   A smartphone or other device to access the internet	q	q	q	q
   A broadband connection	q	q	q	q

9. What are common or shared characteristics of customers who face challenges accessing technology? [OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

10. What are common or shared characteristics of customers who face challenges using technology? [OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

11. What strategies have you or your organization successfully used to help staff access and use technology? [OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

12. What strategies have you or your organization successfully used to help customers access and use technology? [OPEN-ENDED RESPONSE]

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