ABC Week 12: Digital Equity

Now we not only have the education gap, but we also have the digital divide.  Many of the same students who are on the losing end of the education gap are on the wrong side of the digital divide.  They either don’t have internet at home or have dial-up access because that’s all they can afford.  Many of these students don’t develop the 21^st century skills they need in order to succeed in the world until they are at least teenagers if not in college (that is if they get into college).  I know that the school system I plan on working in only have one computer in the classroom and that’s for the teacher.  They have a computer lab in the library, but you have to reserve it.  They don’t even have whiteboards and I’m not talking about the interactive kind.  They are traditional blackboard and chalk classrooms, at least in the elementary schools that I’ve been in.  I’m not certain about all of the schools, but I doubt that they have much in the way of technology like interactive whiteboards or computers in the classroom.  So if I were to assign something like the digital storytelling project I’ve been developing in this class, I’m going to need to be concerned about whether my students will have access to the internet.  I’ll have to plan days in the computer lab which will take away from regular class time in order to make sure everyone has a chance to do research and work on their project.  One way that I can start to close the digital divide at my school would be to write grant proposals for more technology.  I plan to start researching grants now since whatever school I work for in this area will likely have limited technology budgets.  I’m also going to research other ways to close the digital divide.  I am definitely open to suggestions if you have any ideas.