While it is expected that all students use technology to complete school assignments, not all students have equal access to technology. Many students from lower income families do not have access to a computer or other device that can connect them to the internet once they leave school in the afternoon. At the same time many students from higher income families go home to a choice of devices or even carry one in their pocket all day long. According to a research study by Common Sense (2011) only 48% of lower income students have access to a computer at home compared to 91% of higher income students. Due to this “digital divide” among students it has become an important job of the school to help provide equal access to technology for all students.
Schools use a variety of strategies to help make computers accessible to students during the school day. Beginning this year all of the students at Adairsville Middle School and all freshman at Adairsville High School were assigned student laptops. All of these students have access to their laptop throughout the school day and those who paid the insurance fee are also able to take them home. This has made a huge difference in the use of technology, especially at the middle school, across all subject areas.
Having every student with their own computer is obviously an ideal situation which many schools do not have the funds to support, but making sure that all students are able to access whatever technology is available throughout the school day is very important. Many schools, including my own, open the media center for computer use both before and after school as well as allowing students with a note from a teacher to come and work at the computer stations during the school day. Computer classes are also offered at both the middle and high school as connections/elective classes.
Rideout, V., & Common Sense Media. (2011). Zero to eight : Children's media use in
America. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media.
Schools use a variety of strategies to help make computers accessible to students during the school day. Beginning this year all of the students at Adairsville Middle School and all freshman at Adairsville High School were assigned student laptops. All of these students have access to their laptop throughout the school day and those who paid the insurance fee are also able to take them home. This has made a huge difference in the use of technology, especially at the middle school, across all subject areas.
Having every student with their own computer is obviously an ideal situation which many schools do not have the funds to support, but making sure that all students are able to access whatever technology is available throughout the school day is very important. Many schools, including my own, open the media center for computer use both before and after school as well as allowing students with a note from a teacher to come and work at the computer stations during the school day. Computer classes are also offered at both the middle and high school as connections/elective classes.
Rideout, V., & Common Sense Media. (2011). Zero to eight : Children's media use in
America. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media.