The Context of the Problem
Research for the Implications of the Digital Divide Elementary and Secondary Schools show that the digital divide effects adult minorities and low income populations in the United States, and the outcomes of the gap in access to computer technology is of concern for said population ( K. Pirofski 1995-2012). However, the urgency in which the unequal distribution of computer technology in elementary as well as secondary schools in America needs to be addressed, and is also paramount. The long term consequences of not closing the digital gap apparent in schools cannot be ignored. (K. Pirofski 1995-2012), reported that “as of 1997, ninety-nine percent of all schools have computers, sixty-four percent of schools can access the Internet, eighty-five percent of schools in the United States have multimedia computers, and more than half of US schools have computers equipped with CD ROM drives.” (Pirofski 1995-2012, Coley, Cradler, and Engel, 1997)
Although technological equipment is currently available, there is still a low participation of women and underrepresented minorities. Doerschuk and colleagues are concerned that diversity is a persistent and dire need in the computing career- field. People of color including women, in general, would go hand- in- hand with the computer- science field, mainly and essentially caused by the plethora of various, distinct creative attributes. J. Margolis and colleagues, points out that in the STEM field, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as a whole, recruiting and retaining woman and the underrepresented minorities being specifically an interest in the educators of the computing career- field, is an important concern to address.
Research has shown that “technological- access” and “use” in U.S. Schools is divided[MR1] (C Simard 1997). Within the groups that remain under-served, the underrepresented and seniors exhibit alarming rates of technological illiteracy. . “Unequal access to technology and curriculum from early on creates an ongoing disadvantage. Starting at the K-12 level, underrepresented students are more likely to be in school districts lacking the resources for a rigorous computer science curriculum” [MR2] (Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology). Schools serving Black, Latino, and poor students have the lowest level of and/ or access to new technology. In addition, there is a large gap between home computers and internet access regarding the comparison of African- American and White homes, selectively. Among White and Asian students, two-thirds had home access to computers; as opposed to less than half of Black and Hispanic students These patterns of home use suggest that inequities exist in the availability of computers at home, but not in their use. Poor, minority, and urban students are less likely to live in homes that possess computers and related internet DSL, wireless and broadband connectivity’s.
The inner- city, urban, and even poor students in public and/ or private schools of today lack constant access to technology, in general, and also computers, to be specific; one of these groups in our public and private schools who have and/ or desire the need to delve into the computer- science field or, have interest in computers in a basic concept, are declined the teachings of computer- technology, at a higher- learning- level, and also, in conclusion, teachings from intelligent teachers with masters or graduate degrees in computer- science- education. This may be because in schools the technology courses are dominated by males and Asians. According to the Agentsheets paper on the IT Crisis, Because of the lack of higher- learning in the computer- science field, and also the lack of decent exposure to minorities and women, in 2004, only 11% of the CS AP course takers were female; (in contrast to 56% for all AP courses,) and only 6% were from under-represented minorities.These students are not directed, nor introduced to potential futures in STEM. Minorities and seniors are often neglected when it comes to technology. If we actively make efforts to recruit, mentor and attract our minority students, we could possibly improve break down barriers and create some new discoveries. The article, Recruiting and Advancing Minority Scientists: Doing It Right, James D. Burke describes how every student scientist was assigned a mentor. It was found that matching the competent and sincere mentor with a student by race and gender has some obvious value.Unfortunately, low-income families often have limited availability to, or knowledge of, computers and the Internet, increasing their exclusion from mainstream America and major events due to this Digital Divide” (Eamon, 2004; Facer & Furlong, 2001). Economics is a factor, not realizing it’s usage for empowerment purposes, minimal exposure at an early age, also contributes, other reasons may be the fear of learning something new could be a factor. The inability to persist or even indulge into technical computer- careers in the technological field has initiated a common sense of fear and shunning of technology, in general, of our minority and female- citizens of this country. The competitive stakes are high in the technical field, and the necessity of cooperation and labs for learning in the “Academic Excellence Workshop program in Engineering” in the field of computing, and basically technology, have hopefully retained the highly interested minorities and females, of today. Remedy for the disservice lies first in recognition of such disparity followed by the employment of the constructivist theory to increase technological literacy.
Although technological equipment is currently available, there is still a low participation of women and underrepresented minorities. Doerschuk and colleagues are concerned that diversity is a persistent and dire need in the computing career- field. People of color including women, in general, would go hand- in- hand with the computer- science field, mainly and essentially caused by the plethora of various, distinct creative attributes. J. Margolis and colleagues, points out that in the STEM field, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as a whole, recruiting and retaining woman and the underrepresented minorities being specifically an interest in the educators of the computing career- field, is an important concern to address.
Research has shown that “technological- access” and “use” in U.S. Schools is divided[MR1] (C Simard 1997). Within the groups that remain under-served, the underrepresented and seniors exhibit alarming rates of technological illiteracy. . “Unequal access to technology and curriculum from early on creates an ongoing disadvantage. Starting at the K-12 level, underrepresented students are more likely to be in school districts lacking the resources for a rigorous computer science curriculum” [MR2] (Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology). Schools serving Black, Latino, and poor students have the lowest level of and/ or access to new technology. In addition, there is a large gap between home computers and internet access regarding the comparison of African- American and White homes, selectively. Among White and Asian students, two-thirds had home access to computers; as opposed to less than half of Black and Hispanic students These patterns of home use suggest that inequities exist in the availability of computers at home, but not in their use. Poor, minority, and urban students are less likely to live in homes that possess computers and related internet DSL, wireless and broadband connectivity’s.
The inner- city, urban, and even poor students in public and/ or private schools of today lack constant access to technology, in general, and also computers, to be specific; one of these groups in our public and private schools who have and/ or desire the need to delve into the computer- science field or, have interest in computers in a basic concept, are declined the teachings of computer- technology, at a higher- learning- level, and also, in conclusion, teachings from intelligent teachers with masters or graduate degrees in computer- science- education. This may be because in schools the technology courses are dominated by males and Asians. According to the Agentsheets paper on the IT Crisis, Because of the lack of higher- learning in the computer- science field, and also the lack of decent exposure to minorities and women, in 2004, only 11% of the CS AP course takers were female; (in contrast to 56% for all AP courses,) and only 6% were from under-represented minorities.These students are not directed, nor introduced to potential futures in STEM. Minorities and seniors are often neglected when it comes to technology. If we actively make efforts to recruit, mentor and attract our minority students, we could possibly improve break down barriers and create some new discoveries. The article, Recruiting and Advancing Minority Scientists: Doing It Right, James D. Burke describes how every student scientist was assigned a mentor. It was found that matching the competent and sincere mentor with a student by race and gender has some obvious value.Unfortunately, low-income families often have limited availability to, or knowledge of, computers and the Internet, increasing their exclusion from mainstream America and major events due to this Digital Divide” (Eamon, 2004; Facer & Furlong, 2001). Economics is a factor, not realizing it’s usage for empowerment purposes, minimal exposure at an early age, also contributes, other reasons may be the fear of learning something new could be a factor. The inability to persist or even indulge into technical computer- careers in the technological field has initiated a common sense of fear and shunning of technology, in general, of our minority and female- citizens of this country. The competitive stakes are high in the technical field, and the necessity of cooperation and labs for learning in the “Academic Excellence Workshop program in Engineering” in the field of computing, and basically technology, have hopefully retained the highly interested minorities and females, of today. Remedy for the disservice lies first in recognition of such disparity followed by the employment of the constructivist theory to increase technological literacy.