The Digital Divide

The Digital Divide: Where We Are

The video asks us; "What does technologically illiterate mean to you?" If a person is technologically illiterate they must have had little or no experiences with any form of technology including microwaves, telephones, curling irons and computers. Most people in this country are able to use a computer to send an e-mail or write a letter to a child's teacher. How many of these people know how to take photographs on a digital camera, insert the memory card into the computer and edit, share and print the same photograpgh that was just taken. How many allow the children to take the picture and then share it with their classmates through a blog or social network. The future of children is technology. Everything that is learned by children today will reflect on the future. Everything that the children are able to do will be based on technology. The gap between those who have internet access and those who do not is prevalent in homes and schools, however, the advancements in technology are transforming every aspect of a persons life. U.S. Census data from 2002 shows that 54% of Americans have access to the internet. Almost half of Americans do not have internet access at home. Most of these Americans are in poverty and cannot afford internet access at home which is also suggesting racial and ethnic divides. The children affected by lack of internet access will be detrimental to society. The internet is not a matter of luxury, instead it is an essential form of communication in today's society. There is a must for each child and educator to close the gap between teachers and students. Teachers who are not afraid need to have the proper technological advancements in place in the classroom to be able to teach the children and teachers who are willing to learn and bridge the gap in the Information Age.

An announcement from the White House:
On August 18, 2010, Vice President Joe Biden announced 94 Recovery Act investments in broadband projects that will create jobs and expand economic opportunities in 37 states. These investments will help bridge the technological divide in communities that are being left in the 20th century economy and support improvements in education, healthcare, and public safety. More information about USDA’s and Commerce’s Recovery Act efforts is available at http://www.broadbandusa.gov/. More information about the Federal government’s efforts on the Recovery Act is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/recovery.


Sources:

Dickard, N & Schneider, D. The Digital Divide: Where We Are. Edutopia: What Works in Education. Web. Retrieved October 4, 2010. http://www.edutopia.org/print/node/995

Kent, Libby. "The Digital Divide." February 24, 2010. Online video clip. TeacherTube. Accessed on October 4, 2010. http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?title=The_digital_divide&video_id=163404

Office of the Press Secretary. Vice President Biden Announces Recovery Act Investments in Broadband Projects to Bring Jobs, Economic Opportunity to Communities Nationwide. Weblog.
August 18, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/