Digital Education

This week in class we discussed different ways communities have tried to close the digital divide. In “Reconceptualizing the Digital Divide” by Mark Warschauer, he gives three examples of towns and countries trying to upgrade their societies. The examples he gives are India Kiosks, Ennis in Ireland spending $22 million on computers and internet, and the college of education at a major Egyptian university. All three of these attempts failed to close the “Digital Divide”.
In class we discussed why these projects failed. There were many factors brought up in class: socio-economic status, socialization, general view of technology. In each of the three cases, however education came up in the list. Why is education so important in the continued use of technology? I don’t just mean knowing how to use it, but using it inside classrooms and on school projects.

Microsoft gets a bad rep for being used by over 90% of the computer populous. However, we fail to realize that most people learned to use Microsoft products in High School. Microsoft sells, at extremely reduced prices, or just gives its software away to places of education. I have received a copy of $3,000 software and am taking a training course that costs $10,000 on average for free from Microsoft, because I am a student. Why is Microsoft giving away $13,000? In general, once a person has learned how to use the software and sees its potential, that person is a loyal customer for life.

I feel that businesses are keeping on top of the “Digital Divide” in regards to education, but the schools themselves are the ones falling far behind. The Jordan School District released a slide show on YouTube about this lack of technology in the classroom.



I wonder what would happen if teachers did incorporate podcasts and cell phones in class. Granted they would have to deal with students who didn’t have cell phones, but a phone company could get loyal customers if they gave, away service and phones to students for educational purposes.