Creating an Information Technology Science Shop for Greater Madison: Stage I: An Assessment of Nonprofits' Information Technology Issues

The University of Wisconsin-Madison TechShop engages students in providing information technology assistance to local nonprofit organizations as part of a community-based research program and service-learning course. The University of Wisconsin-Madison TechShop began with a community-based research project investigating the technology assistance needs of local nonprofit organizations. Based on the results, a service-learning program was developed that pairs student service-learners with nonprofit organizations to work together on a technology project identified as a need by the nonprofit "client." Because a program priority is ensuring the sustainability of the gains made during the semester, the student and nonprofit partners work together to learn and develop products and solutions that the organization will be able to manage after involvement with the TechShop program. (author)