Sunday, July 1, 2007
Debate Rages Over 'Digital Divide'
Knowing that this article was published in 1999 made me wonder how different the "digital divide" is today. I was not surprised to read that in 1998 there was a fourteen percent difference between the "average" nation's classroom and low income communities and minority neighborhoods in regards to having Internet access. I think that it has improved since then, but know there is still a gap. In 1998, there was a survey completed that showed that the majority of the U.S. students did not have Internet access in their homes. I would be very interested to know what a survey done today would show. Not having access to technology and/or not being educated on how to use technology will leave many students behind. This is obvious especially in Black and Hispanic Americans. I hope and believe that the education in this area has greatly improved in the past nine years. I totally agree with what David Warlick said in the article: "...the degree to which a school or school district embraces and utilizes technology is not as much a wealth issue as it is a leadership issue." Having a great leader in a school, I believe, makes a world of difference in the standard of education a student receives. And a great leader will make sure that students are engaging themselves in this world of technology.
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2 comments:
Julie,
An excellent article and critical question, "what is different about the digital divide today."
I've posted my 2¢ Worth. The article is Has the Digital Divide Changed?
Thanks!
I agree that it's theoretically a leadership issue versus a wealth issue BUT in schools where students come from low income homes the political pressure is on more scripted curriculums. Teachers in low income schools then often feel that they need to place emphasis on teaching reading for reading's sake and miss the ways in which technology can motivate reluctant readers and writers (even as there is a computer or two in every classroom). In schools with wealthier students, parents insist that their students are using their computers and because students are already reading because of support at home there is time for students to use the computer to create their own projects on computers.
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