Funding Technology is Key to Overcoming the Digital Divide



Committing to Technology is Key to Overcoming the Digital Divide

Jeffrey R. Bouwman

In today’s classroom, computers and the Internet are essential technological resources used to communicate and locate information. However, there are many school districts that cannot provide the necessary technology resources to actively engage and meet the needs of the 21st century learner. Most school districts are not up to par in helping to eliminate the digital divide with computer use (DeBell & Chapman, 2006). The digital divide is defined as the gap between those individuals and communities that have, and those that do not have, access to the information technologies that are transforming our lives (Dickard & Schneider, 2007). According to the Dickard and Schneider, a recent U.S. census has indicated that 54 percent of Americans (approximately 143 million people) use the Internet. It is also calculated that an estimated two million Americans will become new Internet users each month. Looking at Dickard’s and Schneider’s findings, one must be concerned with the slowly increasing number of United States citizens who currently use the Internet. This slowly progressing percentage makes Americans wonder, “How do we close the gap in the digital divide to reach digital equity?” Digital equity is defined as equal access and opportunity for individuals to utilize digital tools, resources, and services to increase digital knowledge, awareness, and skills (Davis, Fuller, Jackson, Pittman, & Sweet, 2007). In order to help bridge the digital divide, I believe every school district must take three steps. First, every district must have technologically prepared educators who integrate technology to its fullest potential. Second, technology resources need to be readily accessible from outside of the classroom. Finally, a school district must have a committee formed to search for and obtain grants and/or other means of funding to support its technology program. Consequently, a school district that is committed to closing the digital divide will need to take large strides to accomplish digital equity.

A potential cause for some of the digital divide in education is the continued educational funding cuts. When money is taken away from school districts, programs have to be reduced or eliminated. One could argue that when funds are cut, the limited amount of money must be dedicated to the core subject areas (e.g. language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies) to ensure that they are being adequately funded. The core areas are subject to standardized testing, which determines the amount of funding a school will receive based upon its students’ overall performance. However, one could also make the argument that combining any of the four core subject areas with technology will lead to a stronger lesson. When technology is incorporated into the curriculum, the overall learning performance and outcome will increase (The George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), 2007). However, technology does not come free of charge. In order to increase student performance in the core subjects through the use of technology, a district cannot completely remove the technology funding. In my opinion, districts should look to divide funding more appropriately and/or make financial cuts in other areas.

In order to have a successful technology program that meets the needs of students with and without computers, a school district must have teachers who are both committed and prepared to utilize technology. Teachers who are lackadaisical on the subject may feel that the constant pressure of meeting the standards of the No Child Left Behind legislation makes it difficult to incorporate technology. The biggest pressure in the classroom is getting students to meet the expectations of state tests (Davis, Fuller, Jackson, Pittman, & Sweet, 2007). However, and as stated above, incorporating technology improves student performance; therefore educators must be excited about technology and eager to learn how to best utilize it in the classroom. And after experiencing the positive results that utilizing technology produces, these educators will likely be inspired to help motivate the non-committed. It is also very important for teachers to be trained in today’s technology best practices, as professional development is crucial to the goal of digital equity. However, technology professional development is often pushed to the wayside as a result of competing educational priorities. When teachers are denied the opportunity to obtain technology professional development, they may become frustrated. Teachers who are not trained in utilizing technology applications often choose not to ask questions because they are afraid to do so (Davis, Fuller, Jackson, Pittman, & Sweet, 2007). In order to feel comfortable using technology in the classroom, teachers need to know how to use a variety of computer applications. It is also very important to have knowledgeable technology support staff to assist teachers. When a teacher has a question on how to use a particular technology resource, he/she needs to have a knowledgeable advisor to turn to. Technology support staff should also ensure that the computers are working to their fullest capabilities, thus sparing teachers the frustration of having to repair and update the computers.

School districts can help bridge the digital divide by providing access to technology resources outside of the classroom. Davis, Fuller, Jackson, Pittman, and Sweet have suggested four options to aid in closing the divide. First, schools can provide open computer lab hours (adult-supervised) either after school and/or on weekends. If a student does not have a computer at home, he/she will still have easy access to computers at the school. As is often done at public libraries, school districts can provide students without computers an opportunity to access a computer at no cost. Second, schools can set up an after-school program where students can actively work on projects and share ideas. The program could be designed to incorporate both core subject standards and technology to actively engage students in completing projects. Third, schools can lend students computers that are no longer being used by the school for their use at home. Students could also borrow computers from the school district so that they may utilize technology in their homes. However, families of the users should aid in technology repair costs in order to reduce the expense to the school, as it is assumed that a school district cannot rely on its funding to fix older computers. Finally, a school district can set up a technology program with an incentive - as students complete the technology program, he/she will receive their own personal computer to take home. In my opinion, I believe that it is also essential to provide a new emerging technology resource, such as wikis, blogs, digital videos, podcasts, etc., that can be accessed by all students regardless of their location. By providing students with this opportunity, they can become engaged in technology at any time.

As with every educational program, funding is a must. Computers, software, Internet connections, teacher professional development, and salaries for technology support staff all cost money. Davis, Fuller, Jackson, Pittman, and Sweet have suggested a variety of ways to help pay for and/or provide technology resources. First, schools can apply for grants to obtain technology funding. Every school can appoint a group to locate and apply for various grants for funding. The group can consist of teachers, administrators, and parent volunteers. Grants often provide schools with significant funding to help alleviate the school’s budget. Second, schools can look to local businesses to provide support. Some businesses team up with local school districts to provide hardware, content, professional development, and an Internet connection. Schools can also turn to local colleges/universities for assistance. Some colleges/universities will provide schools with reduced price computers and/or technology support.

In conclusion, in order to close the digital divide and achieve digital equity, school districts must look for a variety of ways to actively engage their students. Not every student will have the opportunity to access a computer and/or the Internet from home. It is crucial for school districts to help students without computer access become actively engaged with the Internet. There are steps that school districts can take to bridge the digital divide. A school district must recruit committed and prepared instructors, and professional development must be provided -teachers not only need to want to teach with technology, but he/she needs to know how to use the various technology resources. School districts must provide ways for students to use technology outside of the classroom. Open computer lab hours, technology programs, sharing older computers for students to take home, and providing new resources such as wikis, blogs, digital videos, podcasts, etc. are all opportunities to actively engage students outside of the classroom. Lastly, outside funding must be obtained, and a group of individuals can be gathered to locate and allocate funds for this purpose. A school district with a staff that is committed to technology and knowledgeable on the subject will be more successful on closing the digital divide and obtaining digital equity.

I believe that in order for a school district to bridge the divide, they must be dedicated to integrating technology. It should be mandatory for teachers to integrate technology into his/her lesson plans as much as possible. Technology itself does not have to be a separate lesson; rather it can be combined with the core subjects to help better prepare students for standardized tests. It is also my opinion that schools must find a way to provide students who do not own computers with an opportunity to use computers free of charge. As suggested above, a school district can provide open computer lab hours, set up technology programs, and/or supply students with either donated and/or out-of–use computers to take home. Finally, uncovering the funds for technology is incredibly important. I believe a technology committee consisting of teachers, administrators, technology support individuals, and parent volunteers must be in place. Together, the group members can discuss ways to locate and receive funding, whether through grants or local businesses and/or colleges/universities, and then allocate the newly-obtained funds to crucial areas.

Resources

Davis, T., Fuller, M., Jackson, S., Pittman, J., and Sweet, J. (2007). “A National Consideration of Digital Equity.” Retrieved August 2, 2007, from .

DeBell, Mathew and Chris Chapman. (2006). “Computer and Internet Use by Students in 2003.” Retrieved August 2, 2007, from .

Dickard, Norris and Diana Schneider. (2007). “What is Technology Integration?” Retrieved August 2, 2007, from .

The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2007). “Why Do We Need Technology Integration?” Retrieved August 2, 2007, from .

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download