1)+Digital+Divide

Digital Divide​

media type="youtube" key="DEJIgDTrgho" height="613" width="768" The digital divide is the disparity between the schools and students that have access and training on technology and those who do not. “Research suggests that there is a digital divide in the U.S. public education arena, caused by socio-economic, ethnic, racial, language and gender factors” (Garland, 2008, p. 40). Socio-economic conditions with regards to computer and internet access can be a factor, especially in rural and urban schools. “In Maryland, the number of schools reporting that their students regularly use technology to gather information from such sources as the internet decreases as the percentage of students receiving free and reduced priced lunches increases” (Creighton, 2003). Another problem is language, where many software packages and internet sites are English only. “Immigrant language learners have the additional challenge of generally having to use English only programs” (Garland, 2008, p. 41). Gender is another concern because men and women use technology differently. Males are more likely to use technology for entertainment, like gaming, while women are more likely to use technology for socialization, like texting and MySpace. The Digital divide can lead to a population unprepared for the 21st century digital world and schools may to contend with the legal concerns of the digital divide.

As Doughtery (2010) stated the role of the federal government is to set the vision of education and pass laws related to equity, specifically constitutional issues. In 2001, the federal government fulfilled its role with the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Included in the NCLB was the vision for technology in the K-12 education. The Enhancing Education through Technology program of the NCLB, in particular, seeks to leverage the power of technology in all areas of K-12 education in ways that impact the quality of teaching and learning (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). The Federal government’s participation in bridging the digital divide may not end there. In //Brown v. Board of Education//, the Supreme Court established the right of all children to an equal opportunity for an education. . If the digital divide does discriminate based upon ethnicity or gender, then the civil rights of the individual may also be a factor. The digital divide does not offer an equal opportunity and the use and literacy of technology may become an issue, especially if the instruction in technology is considered of national interest Education is a function of the state, which sets standards for both curricula and licensure (Dougherty, 2010). The state also determines the resources of education available to students. Like many states, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has established curriculum standards for technology in education as well as the teacher and specialist certification in that content area. “The Pennsylvania Technology Inventory (PATI), takes an annual assessment of use of technology in the Commonwealth and also provides a means to explore changes in teaching practices that result from technology, as well as ascertain educator's views on technology's impact on student achievement” (Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2009). The Classroom for the Future (CFF) program was established to meet the technological requirements of the NCLB. While the digital divide does impact the national and state level, it becomes more noticeable at the local level. Unfortunately, it is the local school boards and schools, with their limited resources, that may be the culprits and victims of the digital divide. Garland best summed it up: “Unless the educational leader is a successful activist on behalf of disadvantaged students, there will be fewer opportunities for higher uses of technology in poorer urban and rural districts. School principals need to be aware of the ways that emerging technologies can best serve the needs of diverse student populations, taking into account factors of poverty, race, language, disability and gender.” (Garland, 2008, p. 42).

As stated before, the educational leaders need to be aware of the digital divide that may be present in their local venue. It is up to the school board to make technology a priority and to assure access and education on technology for every student. The teacher, being the educational leader for the classroom, must have firsthand knowledge of their students’ access to technology and their abilities to use that technology. “Having students help you develop a list of all the technologies they can think of to place in one column and providing several columns for use (home, library, school, relative, other) will let you know the extent of the digital divide in your class of students” (Carroll, J., & Witherspoon, T. (2003). p266).