The Digital Divide Tia Johnson

Introduction The digital divide is an emerging issue that effects many of classrooms, students, and teachers. I chose to research this issue because it is something that with a little time, effort, money, and work it could easily be forgotten.

Central Question What can be done to tighten the gap with the digital divide in schools?

Topics What is the digital divide? What other issues arise in schools from the digital divide?

What is the digital divide The digital divide is discrepancy in access to technology resources among socioeconomic groups. (Roblyer 19) The digital divide is based on race, gender, and economic status. The digital divide is also a problem due to the fact that some may have access to the technology, but they are not given the tools needed to learn to use the technology.

Why is there a digital divide in schools? There is a digital divide in schools were there is a poorer population and schools with more diversity. There are a couple of different reasons why… ▫1. They do not have the funds to get technology ▫2. The technology they do have may not be up to date (because of cost and the lack of opportunities to get the newer technology) ▫3. If they do have any sort of technology they are not given the tools to learn how to use the technology.

What can be done eliminate the digital divide? According to the article, A New Understanding of the Digital Divide, “Just recently, Comcast launched Internet Essentials, a low-cost Internet service for families receiving free school lunches that is available wherever Comcast provides services.” (Mary Beth Hertz) If families are able to get the internet in their households and learn how to use the technology, students will be more educated in the technology and be able to use it better in school. According to the same article, “In addition, communities need to ensure that libraries stay open, schools can provide access to their labs after school, and organizations need to plan their communication strategies around the connection style of the populations they serve.” (Mary Beth Hertz) This is a video of something that Uruguay is doing to help eliminate their digital divide They are the first to make sure that all students have access to a computer.

What can be done eliminate the digital divide? The schools that are experiencing the digital divide need to be funded better and given the opportunities to get the technology they need. They could try fundraisers or asking for donations of any kind like money, computers, tools to enhance their technology skills. They also could try getting a higher powers attention about the cause like the government and showing them how bad they need their help. Getting the knowledge about the technology is just as important as getting the actual technology. So many schools are experiencing the digital divide just because they are not educated on how to use the technology. Someone just donating their time to help teach that knowledge could really fix that issue. But it is also an ongoing issue because technology is always changing. Schools need someone that is always on top of the technology that can teach it.

Conclusion This assignment has opened my eyes to see that technology has a huge impact on schools and children and there is many people that do not get that and advantage. If people could see how important this issue is and could come together to work on it, it would shape our education for the future. By the time I become a teacher I am sure that technology will be even more important in schools and I hope that I am able to provide my students with the necessary technology for them to succeed.

Recommended Resources lEzJlG0ByJgC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=digital+di vide+graphs&ots=W3inzO0Mvu&sig=4k3GpO9 kl5zpO41AqV_enmJul_8#v=onepage&q&f=fals ehttp://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id= lEzJlG0ByJgC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=digital+di vide+graphs&ots=W3inzO0Mvu&sig=4k3GpO9 kl5zpO41AqV_enmJul_8#v=onepage&q&f=fals e dfhttp://digilib.unsri.ac.id/download/v01i04a01.p df Video:

Works Cited Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, Aaron H. (2010). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (5th Ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Hertz, Mary B. "A New Understanding of the Digital Divide." K-12 Education & Learning Innovations with Proven Strategies That Work. Edutopia, 24 Oct Web. 25 Mar Rapaport, Richard. "A Short History of the Digital DivideA High-tech "Who Done It."" A Short History of the Digital Divide. Edutopia, 27 Oct Web. 25 Mar "Education World: Caught in the Digital Divide | Digital Divide in Education." Education World: The Educator's Best Friend. Education World, 26 Apr Web. 25 Mar