(DOWNLOAD) "Are We Addressing the Digital Divide? Issues, Access, And Real Commitment (Issues in Education)" by Childhood Education * Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Are We Addressing the Digital Divide? Issues, Access, And Real Commitment (Issues in Education)
- Author : Childhood Education
- Release Date : January 22, 2005
- Genre: Education,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 191 KB
Description
Not long ago, I remember the joy in my 3rd-grader's voice as he looked ahead to the benefits of getting a laptop for 4th grade. He waited with much anticipation for the school-wide "Open the Box" party and listened attentively as the teachers and administration discussed the "Acceptable Use" policy that would be implemented. His school had implemented a laptop program for 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-graders in preparation for changes that were planned for the feeder middle schools. I recall wondering if this change would be really beneficial in supporting the curriculum, and if the teachers / students would notice any significant change. Moreover, the thought crossed my mind as to whether "non-laptop" students his age were missing out on something. The term "digital divide" emerged in the mid-1990s (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2004) to describe "the gap between those who have 'ever' and those who have 'never' used a computer or the internet" (p. 1). In time, we have seen this term evolve, and become even more relevant, as more school sites, libraries, and public places gain access to the Internet. The current definition of digital divide still focuses on "the disparity between individuals who have and do not have access to information technology (IT)" (Eamon, 2004, p. 91). Yet, the latest research and most current platforms have documented the fact that the digital divide is "a host of complex factors that shape technology use in ways that serve to exacerbate existing education inequalities" (Warschauer, Knobel, & Stone, 2004, p. 584).