Technology Gap

Objectives Develop a deeper understanding of

technology gaps in relation to IDT Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of

e-resources as a medium of instruction Examine strategies for locating, assessing,

and using e-resources

Goals Develop a deeper understanding of the divide its

relation to multicultural education Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the

Internet as an educational medium Develop strategies for locating, assessing, and

using contributive Internet resources Locate intersections between the Internet and

multicultural teaching philosophies

Technology Gap Inequities in access to technology (physical

and pedagogical) Divide across race, class, language,

disability, sex/gender, region etc E-divide between have’s and have-not’s

Digital Divide Increasing access gap between those who

have and those who do not have: access to ICT access to content that benefits socially and

economically skills to take advantage of ICT services ability to afford to pay for digital services.

Pertinent Issues Access to ICT Ability to use ICT Actual use of ICT Impact of using ICT

Strands Access to technology hardware and

software: Home Classroom

Access to progressive pedagogy Access to cultural capital

Factors in Digital Divide Affordability: Is technology access affordable for

people to use? Capacity: Do people understand how to use

technology and its potential uses? Relevant content: Is there locally relevant

content, especially language? Integration: Does technology further burden

people's lives or does it integrate into daily routines?

Factors in Digital Divide Socio-cultural factors: Are user limited by innate factors

(gender, race, and socio-cultural factors)? Trust: Do people have confidence in and understand

implications of technology they use (privacy, security) Political will: Is there political will in governance to do what is needed to enable the integration of technology throughout society?

Legal and regulatory framework: How do laws and regulations affect technology use and what changes are needed to create an environment that fosters its use?

Debate on priority of ICT-Nay

ICT a waste of money Funding should be directed to more important

areas of impact and real need Risk of disillusionment ICT does not provide benefits and may infact

open people up to new forms of harm

Debate on priority of ICT-Yea

Divide will become wider if ICT is not promoted ICT can support other social and economic goals

to improve peoples lives Access to ICTs and participation in ‘information

society’ will have far reaching benefits

The Debate

Although the costs of new information infrastructure are high, the future costs of not doing so are much higher

ICT is a priority for development but requires national level strategies and support

ICT should be development focused A best practice formula is not possible

because of developing countries diversity

ICT Education Goals ICTs as a subject: Information literacy,

programming and other related skills. eLearning and distance education Access to learning communities Access to increased and up-to-date information

Issues to Contend with Universal service Consumer advocacy Pricing policies Interconnection agreements Efficient use of resources Licensing for internet service provider

3 Strands of the Divide

1. Access to technology

2. Access to pedagogy

3. Access to cultural capital

Scope Class Region Education level Race Gender Disabilities Language

Digital Divide Solutions:Some Ideas Rethink the implications of the heavy reliance on

computer technology in education University/Public School partnerships Intensive teacher training Put money into training and up-keep instead of

more and more equipment Team teachers with technology experts to bridge

some lack of knowledge in both groups

e-Resources: Educational medium- Opportunities Global compendium Expansion of resource base Intercultural interaction Facilitation of dialogue and social

action

e-Resources: Educational medium- Challenges Learning curve Instability Fading educational/commercial lines Diminishing face-to-face interaction Limited “inclusion”

Assessment to Educational Web Sites Do all learners have equitable access to

necessary technology? Does the resource encourage critical

thinking? Will using the Internet contribute to the

learning process in relation to the given topic?