Educating Adults to Help Bridge the Digital Divide

 1. Rate your own technological skill/abilities on a scale of 1 – 10 (1 being the lowest). Explain why you rated yourself as you did.  2. Do the same for your parents. Explain why.

 3. Create the following chart on your notes: List technology used to communicate, during free time, as a form of entertainment, favorite TV shows, music interests/etc. MeMy Parents

 Cross our anything that appears in both columns  4. Which of the items under the “ME” section do you think your parents should learn? Explain why?

 5. Why is it difficult for young people to connect with or relate to their parents?  6. How much control/access – if any – should parents have over their children’s technology? How – if at all – does age factor in to your answer?  7. What are some things your parents (or adults you know) have done in an effort to protect children from technology?

 8. Are there any websites, apps, technologies that you feel are harmful to children or young adults that are readily used today? If so, which ones & why?  9. Imagine that an adult in your life went on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or other social media forum … how would it make you feel? Discuss  10. What is the digital divide? KOWE KOWE

 11. Pick one of the following activities: Research what life was like when your parents were your age. How did they communicate with friends? What did they do after school & on weekends? Prepare a short story based on your findings. Evaluate the importance of social networking sites (Facebook, Instagram or some other app). How often do you use it? Why do you use it? How would your life be different if this technology didn’t exist? Write a brief memo on your thoughts.

What does the phrase “digital divide” mean? Research what this is, and how this phenomenon occurs. What are the benefits & drawbacks? Should this condition be corrected? Write a brief memo exploring your findings. Michael Welsch, asst. professor of cultural anthropology at Kansas State University, suggested that Facebook’s younger users utilize the website as a means to explore their identities. Examine this statement by taking into consideration developmental psychologist Erik Erikson’s theory on the social development of human beings. Do you agree or disagree? Write a ½ page response.