Digital divide refers to the technology gap between the poor and the middle and upper classes. The so-called "haves" and "have-nots" also have a race-ethnic constituent. Because a larger proportion of minorities are poor, compared with whites, a smaller percentage of African-Americans, Latinos, and Native-Americans have access to computers and the Internet. If the people who live in poverty have less access to computers and the Internet, their disadvantage in the new technology will grow. If computers were only for playing cyber games, this would not be an issue. But the Internet has become a major source of information.
Almost every grade school in the United States introduces its student to the computer. Children learn how to type on it, as well as how to use mathematics and science software. Successful educational programs use a game like format that makes students forget they are studying. Classrooms are wired to the Internet. Schools that can afford the latest in computer technology are able to better prepare their students for the future. That advantage, of course goes to students of private schools and to the richest public school districts, thus helping to perpetuate the social inequalities that arise from the chance of birth.
[...] The report that is prepared by the United States Department of Commerce in 2000, confirmed that the gap between technology and “have-nots” increased drastically between 1994 and 1997. The likelihood is that African-Americans and Native-Americans had less home computer access than whites did. This gap was even larger for people who live below poverty (U.S. Department of Commerce 2000). In a study done by Thomas Novak and Donna Hoffman, between 1994 and 1998, the number of black households that owns a personal computer was 41 percent less than that of white households. [...]
[...] The digital divide is a multi-faceted problem. Access to computers and the Internet alone will not narrow the economic, education, and social divide between those who will benefit from new technologies and those who will not. People need adequate training to effectively use the latest information and communication tolls. Basic literacy, language differences, and lack to technical skill all contribute to the inability of some to participate in the Information Age. People must be able to research and analyze information, evaluate sources and apply information on the job and in their everyday lives. [...]
[...] Having technology readily available at home, in schools and in the community is taken for granted in many areas. Teachers often assign homework with the expectation that students have equal access to computers and the Internet outside the classroom. Almost every grade school in the United States introduces its student to the computer. Children learn how to type on it, as well as how to use mathematics and science software. Successful educational programs use a game like format that makes students forget they are studying. [...]
[...] Teachers who fail to recognize this widen the digital divide in their individual classrooms everyday. Employers are struggling to find enough high-skilled workers. Employers have redefined entry-level skills to include the ability to use a wide variety of technology tools and applications efficiency. Large companies have the resources to buy skilled workers from the outside by paying top wages, or to build—provide current employees with training—from within to meet their needs. However, most information technology jobs exist in small to mid-sized businesses that do not have the resources or the time to develop their workers. [...]
[...] In August 2000, the relationship between education and Internet access for households headed by someone with some post-college education is 69.9 percent, a college degree alone is 64 percent, some college experience is 49.0 percent, a high school diploma is 29.9 percent, and education less than a high school diploma is 11.7 percent. In addition to education factor, another factor that correlates with computer and Internet access is household structure. Households with traditional family settings have much higher rates of Internet access than any other family type. [...]
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