Mar
1
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Posts tagged digital divide
Feb
28
Survey finds gap in Internet access between rich, poor students
Half of all students in higher income families have access to the Internet at home through a computer or mobile device. The figure drops to 20 percent for middle income children and just 3 percent of students from poor homes, according to the survey of 2,462 teachers by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in cooperation with the College Board and National Writing Project.
The growing disparity of Internet access is leading to a gap in performance, about 56 percent of teachers said. About seven in 10 teachers say their students now rely on the Internet to complete their assignments.
“Teachers whose students come from the lowest income households feel they are at a disadvantage,” said Kristen Purcell, an associate director of research at the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
(via WaPo)
“I’m not going to lie: this story rang a bell with me on a personal level. It’s not easy to get by in this world and to do so you have to prioritize where you are spending your money. Internet vs. Food: which would you choose? In the past, I’ve often found myself haunting public WiFi hot spots when libraries were closed: mall food courts, Panera Bread, hotel lobbies and, yes, McDonald’s got it too. It was inconvenient, the hours of operation limited greatly my productivity, and annoying, people distracted me unknowingly, but I’m an adult, I understood the choices I was making for myself. For children it’s a different story.”
Angela Parsons, Cataloging & Serials Library Assistant at Shepard Broad Law Library & Technology Center at Nova Southeastern University responds to our post
Jan
30
Why is Joshua, the eighth grader, doing homework at a fast-food restaurant, and how could this situation be improved?
In 2012, 89 percent of the nation’s nearly 17,000 public libraries provided Wi-Fi access, and about three-quarters of these reported an increase in the use of their Wi-Fi. Since most of these libraries keep their Wi-Fi signal on after hours, we are very familiar with the “parking lot” uses of people who don’t have other Internet access options. Today, nearly all libraries provide public access computers staffed with knowledgeable librarians who, in many instances, work closely with school librarians and classroom teachers to make sure their resources and databases complement the ones in the K12 schools. These librarians, school and public, can help Joshua locate the very best resources, teach him how to evaluate online information, and guide him to collaborative production tools to compose high-quality papers. While computer and Internet access are an essential starting point, trained staff and relevant resources are also vital.
Jan
28
Libraries, the digital divide and how we can bridge it.
Over the past year, the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy and the Institute of Museum and Library Services have been working closely with the Federal Communications Commission on broadband adoption efforts, including digital literacy. In recognition of the critical role of libraries in this work, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski recorded a video message for ALA and IMLS to share with libraries. Our shared goal is to raise awareness of libraries in the digital age, particularly as the Ad Council prepares to launch a nationwide campaign to promote the importance of digital literacy in March. We thank Chairman Genachowski for his support, and we hope libraries will be able to use this video in their communities as we move forward with digital literacy initiatives in the coming year.
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Jan
24
On the Front Lines of Digital Inclusion
Today, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Digital Literacy Task Force (which is led by the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy), released “Digital Literacy, Libraries, and Public Policy,” (pdf) a comprehensive report that provides a broad overview of digital literacy in the context of school, public, and academic libraries.
Dec
20
By asking, “What does a computer engineer look like?” Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code, shows how the digital divide has widened between genders. Bryant stresses why it’s important to encourage girls of color to get into computer science.
Oct
26
“As students increasingly learn with and about digital tools, can we expect them to transition from consumers to creators? Evidence from wide-ranging sources suggests they already are.”
Amy Wickner, Makerspaces and Library Labs Encourage Student Creativity
Oct
1
“The project aims to help libraries develop applications and services that will meet the needs of the public, particularly underserved populations. Case studies will examine efforts to leverage ultra-high-speed Internet service to deliver socially inclusive library experiences that meet critical human development needs. The forums will give library leaders an opportunity to shape the next generation of the Internet.”
OITP collaborates on new “Inclusive Gigabit Libraries” initiative
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