The digital divide has shifted from being having access to
technology and the web versus those who do not, to how people are connecting to the internet. While many people used
to have no access to the internet in any form, many people now have access
through smart phones. This is better than nothing, but it is absolutely not the
same as having access through a broadband Wi-Fi connection. Job applications, submitting resumes, and
other necessary tasks can usually only be accessed through computer access. Students
that do not have access at home to technology and the internet, for fun or practical
purposes, will likely not have the technological literacy that is necessary to
function in the digital world. It is our job, as teachers in today’s society,
to teach them how to utilize the resources available at the moment. While many
schools are still lacking in the technology that would enable the teachers to instruct
on the many uses, slowly but surely, we are getting there. Unfortunately, the
new digital divide is still leaving some schools behind as new technological
resources are developed daily. It seems as though there may always be some sort
of digital divide as products and software evolves. My hope is that it will
become more common in ALL schools and that the children in schools now will
learn how to make the most of the amazing resources available.
As teachers, we need to keep in mind that students need to
use technology for more than just a reward. We need them to see the internet
and technology as a resource that can be used to learn, not just to play. We
also need to ensure that the students are taught how to use netbooks or iPads
so that the navigation does not slow them down on researching topics and
working on projects. At Delaware, we do not have textbooks. We use netbooks,
iPod touches, and iPads as our textbooks. It is imperative that our students
know the basic commands of each technology so that they are not bogged down
with how to save their work and tasks such as that. As a staff, we have been
committed to creating meaningful and practical lessons that are standards based
and employ real life situations. We have grade level PLC (professional learning
community) meetings to plan and discuss what is needed for grade levels. We
also do vertical alignment so that our students know that the expectations of
them in class are not going to change year after year. We have seen much
success with the programs and reform we are implementing at our school. Not
only does having the technology available make planning our lessons fun, it
makes them engaging lessons for our students. Using technology at our school is
not an infrequent occurrence, but a daily requirement. Our students can make a
Prezi (prezi.com) in an instant, as well as many other web applications, and
can teach me tons in just one class period when it comes to the digital world.
We allow the students to create and contribute to the digital world and they
LOVE it. When you think of the jobs that our students are likely to be doing
when they graduate both high school and college, technology knowledge is an
absolute MUST! The best way to learn and to have it become second nature is to
dive right in.
Our collaborative VoiceThread on "Bridging the Digital Divide"
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