Digital Divide?

This week's topic involved the Digital Divide, or the implied separation of abilities and resources amongst the population of the U.S. in terms of technology. I'm a bit torn on this topic, as I've been on both ends of the spectrum in terms of schools and financing, so I'll just ramble on. Please feel free to follow.

Currently, I teach at a school that has a pretty good reputation, and where the students are capable of paying for things if needed. Before that, I taught at a low-income school for 10 years. I had students who frequently were in and out of houses, apartments, or shelters. In that regard, in terms of the out-of-school comparison, then yes, there is a digital divide. A family trying to find their next meal probably isn't looking for that next laptop or wi-fi connection. I'd say that I went from 20% availability to 80% availability in regards to access of computers at home. The advantages and opportunity differential for both groups is quite obvious.

However, inside the school is another story. I'd say that I had the same amount of technological opportunity at both schools. I've had access to computer labs in both, and I've had 5-6 computers at both. And, at both schools, I've seen technology gather dust, depending on the room. I still work with those whose main definition of technology is the overhead. This is where I see a Digital Divide within the school. There are those who are interested in it, and want to integrate it into their lessons and curriculum. Then there are those who see it as a negative or a distraction, and that the best solution is simply not to use it at all. Having inservices isn't the solution, as some are so set in their ways, whether positive or negative, that all of the teachings in the world won't matter. In this regard, I don't know what the solution is. I think we maybe need to be consistent and continue to show all of the uses that our students are going to have involving technology, and stress the importance of getting them ready for the REAL WORLD, not a test.

Of course, that's easier said than done. If it were easy to do, I don't think that this argument exists right now. I also don't see the divide getting any closer to becoming eliminated anytime in the future. I think all that I can personally do is try to give examples again and again of what we can do in the class, and hope that others eventually lower their guards and take a chance. After all, isn't that what we want our students to do?