"The kinds of media to which kids have access make a difference. For example, lack of easy access to a particular medium by any particular social group may have important consequences... Kids who do not have computers are presumed to suffer. They have limited opportunity to develop computer literacy, to go online, to search the World Wide Web – in short, to become fully functioning members of the "information age."
When I went to high school, I remember my mom had to scrunge up enough money to buy me a computer, and I vividly remember it was $2000 for a desktop! I was fortunate enough to have a computer such that I learned how to type, use email, and the internet. Honestly though, besides that, I didn't really use my computer as a research tool, I used mainly as a word processor even though I have an internet connection.
Today, so much have changed, relating back to the quote mentioned above, if certain groups do not have access to certain technologies such as computers, it could have a huge effect to them when they get older. Especially now more than ever, operating a computer is almost an assumed knowledge in any jobs that you get even Micky D's!
1 comment:
I thought you'd be interested in some research I'm doing for one of my other classes, where I'm interviewing some high school teachers I know about a different issue (learning styles.) However, in the course of collecting that data, I also asked them about the usage of computers and technology in their classrooms. The answers were amazingly disparate... from a private high school where each student has their own laptop, to a public high school where there are 3 computers in the classroom which are rarely used. It makes me wonder whether the "digital divide" pervades our schools just as much as our homes, and also why more money hasn't been put into addressing this inequity in our schools.
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