For example, first grade students in the same school could progress elementary school, yet each could receive different exposure to technology during their elementary years. By random classroom assignments: One student could get teachers who do not utilize technology several years in a row, while another gets teachers who ensure students utilize technology daily.
As stated in The Digital Divide within: Creating a Level Playing for All Students, “Technology has become the driving force of change in the modern world. It has altered our economic structures and the ways we communicate. Technology – even in small amounts – is helping communities overcome convention and tradition to take leaps forward.”
Integrating Technology in the Curriculum
Technology touches our lives every day. Many schools are behind the curve when it comes to integrating technology into the classroom. When schools properly use technology as a teaching model students are better equipped to survive in the technologically based economy.
Integrating technology into school curriculum is more than just teaching the basic word processing skills and computer basics in required computer classes. Students need a working knowledge of technology by the time they graduate to be competitive in today’s job market. Technology must support four key learning components: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction, and feedback (Nichol, 2008).
Using technology-enabled learning will allow students to build on their current knowledge of technology. The World Wide Web provides students and teachers with interesting, divers, and current learning materials. The web also provides access to the experts in every field of study. Now, teachers can use computers to dissect frogs or conduct chemistry experiments.
Bridging the Gap
Lot of organizations and non-profit groups are working to close the digital divide in their communities. The Computers for Schools Foundation, takes used computers to refurbish and distribute to schools. Since the foundation began in 1991, it has placed more than 80,000 computers in schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (Steele-Carlin, 2000).
Obstacles
With the high demand for computer equipment it is hard for schools to meet the demand.
Sometimes, the only time students have access to a computer lab is during lunchtime. This short period of time is not sufficient to produce quality research. Poor research is not a fair trade for missing lunch.
Trying to provide computer access before and school has its own obstacles. The schools would have to pay the staff overtime and if computer equipment is not in the budget then overtime pay is definitely not in the budget. Schools could try to get volunteers to run the computer labs but that is a very unpredictable and may still require some staff overtime. Students who depend on school busses to get to and from school cannot extend their days to have time computer access.
Conclusion
Technology is an inevitable part of life. In today’s job market technology is the key to getting a job. With the technological advances students need to be comfortable with technology before entering the job market. Schools have many obstacles to overcome to be get students ready for life after graduation. Schools need to perform a balancing act with their budget to allow their students to have access to technology.
References
O'Neal, Chris (2007, 06, 07). The digital divide within: Creating a level playing field for
all students. Retrieved 05, 14, 2009, from http://www.edutopia.org/print/4160
Nichol, Mark (2008. 03, 17). Why integrate technology into the curriculum?: The reasons
are many. Retrieved 05, 14, 2009, from http://www.edutopia.org/print/5297
Steele-Carlin , Sherril (2002, 04, 26). Caught in the digital divide. Education World,
Retrieved 05, 10, 2009, from http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech041.shtml
