The term digital divide describes disparities or inequalities in access to and use of digital

technologies, particularly computers and the Internet. And why is this (the digital divide) of
concern? Chris Nicol (2003, editor of the new ICT Policy: A Beginner's Handbook) says the
following:
Anyone working for social justice needs to ensure that digital societies are not exclusive and
that information communication and networking are not in the hands of the few, because that
means more power for the powerful." (APCNews, 2003).
All of the preceding text is important and relevant in education today.
And then the term techno-gender divide describes the gender gap in technology. I dont care
about anything after this statement in the reading. Because the reading then suggests that I
consider the techno-gender divide that may possibly disadvantage boys in the schools. Why
would anyone think about doing research on this topic? Who cares? I dont want to look at a
bunch of statistics about the techno-gender divide. Why not do a study on how cafeteria food
helps make people fat, addicted to fast-food and eventually die early? Why not try and do a study
about how maybe girls more than boys develop serious eating disorders because everyone wants
a great body and the media portrays the idea of beauty unfairly? Why not think about how
dividing boys from girls in physical education classes could improve student learning and
success and improve adolescents physical fitness levels? And I really dont give a hoot about the
techno-gender divide in my school because Ive never considered or seen a techno-gender divide.
The techno-gender divide is not a practical concern in the classroom or in the school system, in
my opinion. If I give an assignment that is inherently designed more advantageously for boys
than girls because there is a lonely researcher who performed a useless study and says it is, then
that girl is going to have to suck it up. If I give an assignment that is inherently designed more
advantageously for girls than boys because there is a lonely researcher who performed a useless
study and says it is, then that boy is going to have to suck it up. Actually, we should just separate
the sexes in the schools so that somebody doesnt consider researching unimportant questions in
education in the future. Does the style of advertisement (or commercials) for the Army and
Marines persuade more men to join the services than women? Maybe it does because
considerably more men than women statistically are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are
more imperative concerns in the classroom. How can we make sure that all schools have equal
access to technology in their classrooms? How can technology be used to enhance parent
involvement in their childs education and increase student learning and success in the
classroom? I would say this though, in the future, if the use of technology in the classroom is so
profound across the nation, and in all grade levels, then the issue of the techno-gender divide will
become important and relevant for further research. Until then, it is not important, in my opinion.
Here are some thoughts on digital equity. Do I agree that we should assign Internet homework to
students who cannot afford a computer, or a new, more powerful computer? Of course not. How
is that fair? It would be fair if the schools gave students $1000 to buy a computer on the first day

of school. It would be fair if the computers were given to the students at the school. Otherwise, is
it fair to ask students to ask their parents to go to Best Buy and buy a computer with the money
the school has given the student? No, because you are assigning a homework assignment for the
parents and not the students. I dont get mad at my players when they show up late to practice
because Im intelligent enough to realize that the players are too young to drive. Making
practices and games on time is a function of the parents ability to be on time, not the players
ability to be on time.
When do you give Internet homework to your class?
When everyone has access to a computer at home.
When the homework does not require that students learn how to use digital technologies on
their own.
When the entire class can go to the computer lab and complete the assignment.
When the entire class is allowed to complete the assignment at their own pace.
When everyone in the class falls on the same side of the digital divide.
Briefly describe the ONE most important technology, or initiative, or Website you
discovered when exploring the textbook and the links below and explain briefly why you
were impressed.
I think that assistive technology devices and assistive technology services for students with
special needs is an interesting topic. Im happy that the government has taken the initiative to
include these very important aspects of equity in the nations educational services. But Im
perplexed as to how the government can make all that up and then miss the fact that Bernie
Madhoff was stealing everyones money?
Assistive technology devices like screen readers, screen magnifiers, Braille screen displays,
touch screens and eye-tracking technologies allow people with disabilities to use a computer and
access the internet, and these students otherwise would be excluded from using this type of
technology. Its also important that students with disabilities receive the individualized
management they require to adequately learn and be successful. From the reading in the IETT
textbook, I found the reading and writing software products for students with cognitive
disabilities like Reader Rabbit and Dragon Naturally Speaking to be other useful examples of
how assistive technology devices can benefit the lives of students with special needs.
Unfortunately, the public school system is not the right place for some (or many) of these special
needs kids. There are several issues on this front, in my opinion. First, special education jobs are
the easiest to come by which leads me to believe that the training involved in special education is
insufficient, or that the job just sucks. Second, some parents believe that their child should be
mainstreamed into the public school system, which puts the pressure on teachers like me, a

simple physical education and health teacher, to be a special education teacher too. I cannot do
all that. Im sorry, but I cant one-on-one an autistic kid because I have 35 more kids in the
room and Im sorry if I have to lecture and allow him (the autistic kid) to pace the back of the
room before he goes over and counts and arranges all the textbooks. Third, there is not enough
money in the county school system to effectively account for all the issues in special education
because somebody is stealing it from somewhere and/or the school system wont pay for the
proper care because it really is too expensive and how would an increase in the student
performances of special education kids ever be important enough to attract more investment
funding?