Community crowdsourcing explores how Gigabit Internet can improve Kansas City

"@MayorHollandKCK 'I believe code should be taught in our schools as a foreign language' #gigabitKC" @smckc on Kansas City, Kansas Mayor Mark Holland

Kansas City Public Library hosted a community for the public of organizations and community leaders at its Central Branch Thursday, February 13 during Building the Gigabit City 2.0.   

After two years since Kansas City was announced to receive Google Fiber Internet, becoming the first  'Fiberhood' city in the nation, KC Digital Drive and local organizations sponsored Building the Gigabit City 2.0 event for the public to explore and experience the new technological possibilities of having Google Fiber in the area.

Google Fiber, being "100 times faster than a standard Internet connection", gives KCK and KCMO the opportunity to advance by utilizing the current Internet connection available in the area.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Sly James spoke how local organizations have been involved with Google and other national companies in establishing the Internet connection in Kansas City.

Local sponsors: Brainzooming, KC Digital Drive, Mozilla, National Science Foundation, Social Media Club-Kansas City, The Kansas City Public Library, and US Ignite to speak and facilitate.

"In the Kansas City community, I don't think there's any place in the United States,and maybe in the world, where there's this much grass-roots energy, intelligence, and care for what really matters," Director of Kansas City Public Library, Crosby Kemper.

Chris Lawrence, Senior Director of Mozilla Webmaker, discussed how whether someone is a student, parent, teacher-technology impacts all.

LINC Works and LINC participated in the morning session's Unconference Program with representatives from Software Lending Library, PlanIT Impact, Augmented Responder Training, Spring, AT&T, KC STEM and more.

" 'We want people to create and not just consume.'-@chrislarry33 #gigabitkc"- @KCDigitalDrive

Engaging students from home, improving attendance, challenging the traditional education system, and making transportation obsolete were topics discussed during the K-12 Education break out sessions.

IT directors and teachers from KCKPS and the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library collaborated on how faster Internet and emerging technology would affect the students and teachers.

Tyler Watts, middle school teacher in KCKPS, pitched the idea of 'Robo Teacher' an augmented reality school where students would attend classes from home. The objective was to increase attendance and free schools from weather delays and transportation issues.