Is the Digital Divide Such a Bad Thing?

“Is the Digital Divide Such a Bad Thing?” and “Children With Home Computers Likely to Have Lower Test Scores” are companion articles. Duke University has recently released a new study of 150,000 children that shows when lower income students are given computer and Internet access at home prior to the fifth grade; their math and reading scores actually went down a bit. Because of the amount of children included in the study, the findings seem worth taking note. The research was conducted prior to 2005.
People in poverty do not have the typical access to the Internet that many Americans enjoy. The digital divide has vast repercussions for adults. Most job applications are now online and some government services are requiring an online element. If technology and access leave a complete segment of our population behind, then society as a whole suffers. The costs of technological illiteracy can affect our job market leaving a lack of needed skill sets which in turn effects our economy.
Before any action is taken we need to have more studies with a broader scope. Is the dip in math and reading scores sustained through high school? Now that Facebook and Twitter are so ubiquitous has that changed online literacy habits? Do we need to get children access before 5th grade? It is true some children do not have the support or educational assistance at home. As each generation emerges into adulthood computer literacy should get stronger and stronger.
Children through teens use the Internet differently than adults. The entertainment and the social factor are important to today’s youth. Being connected online is more than a status symbol; it is taken for granted as a necessity. As a society we want tomorrow’s adults to be comfortable with using technology and be proficient in their usage. The digital divide is real with real implications. Let’s do some more research before we stop handing out computers to our youth.

Swaminathan, N. (2010, June 21). Is the "Digital Divide" Such a Bad Thing? [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://www.good.is/post/is-the-digital-divide-such-a-bad-thing/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+good%2Flbvp+(GOOD+Main+RSS+Feed).