A digital divide exists for
students who are unable to attain technology, and/or are unable to utilize the
technology they have. Students who come from a lower economic status, minority
students, and students who may live in rural or inner-city areas typically have
less access to technology used outside of the classroom. These students have to
rely on the school, community centers, or the library for access to any
technology, and this typically leads to poorer grades and lower test
performances.
There are several issues at the
school level with the digital divide also. Not all schools within a district
have the same abilities as their counterparts, and various districts within a
county don’t have the same resources to use. The ISTE policy brief outlined
several other factors that affect technology use in the classroom.
ISTE’s 2007 report, A
National Consideration of Digital Equity (Davis et al. 2007), discusses four
specific challenges that are central to the digital divide:
• Technology is not valued as an instructional tool
• Educators are receiving inadequate professional
development
• There remains a significant number of students with
limited access to technology outside of school
• Obtaining funding for technology continues to be difficult
(pp. 2–4)
The report details five strategies for schools and districts
to address these challenges:
• Legitimize the significant role culture plays in students’
educational experience
• Continue to challenge perceptions about the role of
technology in education
• Encourage others to recognize the critical link between
technology professional development and classroom practice
• Create opportunities for students to access technology
outside of the classroom
• Continue to seek funding for technology in spite of
challenges (pp. 11–13)
Resources:
Kadel R. (2008), Technology and Student Achievement— The Indelible Link.Retrieved fromhttp://www.k12hsn.org/files/research/Technology/ISTE_policy_brief_student_achievement.pdf
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