The 21st century and its information revolution has forever changed communication, education and the job market. However, just like any advancement, someone gets left behind or struggles to keep up. The film and article for this blog addresses the issue of inequality in today's information society.
In Van Dijk's article the type of inequality is broken down into four major categories: Immaterial, Material, Social and Educational. (Van Dijk, 223). Starting with "immaterial"inequality, technological opportunity is influenced by life's chances and freedoms. In the video, unfortunately we can see that life's chances are not the same for everyone and freedom doesn't equal affordability!
"Material" inequality is influenced by capital (social, economic, cultural) and resources. In the video we learn that inner cities often do not have adequate technology in the schools to meet the needs of all the students. This means very limited access to technology (if any), along with many homes that do not have technology because it is simply unaffordable.
"Social" inequality refers to positions, power and participation. One large factor in this is motivation. What motivates student in certain cultures may not be what is needed to close the gap in the technology divide. As the video demonstrates, technology is only as good as its user. Computer literacy should not be considered more important than written literacy. Technology is simply a tool and an extension of the user's knowledge. However, to gain computer literacy a student must have access and availability of technology to participate in the information revolution or they face getting left behind.
"Educational" inequality is produced through the lack of capabilities and skills. The video brought forth an important point. A teacher had commented that while a small group of students is allowed to access the four computers in her classroom,the rest of her class is holding discussions and activities. The teacher has to divide her attention and focus into two groups. She stated that she would love to have computers for all her students and be able to instruct them on how to use a computer all at the same time. The pressing issue is why do some schools have more technology than others?
The lasting impact from technological inequality is the lack of computer skills necessary to attain jobs in this competitive job market. For those with little to no exposure to computers,they lack the knowledge and skills necessary for employment. Computer Technology Centers (CTC's) help take kids off the streets and give them the skills necessary to become marketable. Yet,the CTC's are limited to small periods of access (30 min's) at at time and it is simply not enough. More attention needs to be drawn to the technology divide to stimulate public access and provide adequate access for everyone to modern technology.
Works Cited:
Film: Virtual Equality: The Information Revolution and the Inner City (1999)
Van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2006). Digital divide research, achievements and shortcomings. Poetics, 34(4-5), 221-235
Friday, July 1, 2011
Week 5, Blog #1 youth and Digital Innovation
Three major points surrounding literacy problems and technology failures amongst children and young adults in America seems to begin with vocabulary. First, James Paul Gee of ASU discussed what is known as, " the fourth grade slump". He defines the fourth grade slump as the transitional period, (usually occurring at approximately the fourth grade) when students experience an advanced and more scholarly literacy change in English within schools. English literacy turns the corner into an "academic English" vs. "everyday English". What this means is that the children who do not have a strong vocabulary and have not been exposed to a reading the complex academic language in textbooks will struggle to get through high school.
A second issue of concern is the newly emerging gap connected to the skills needed to adapt to our ever-changing digital world. In other words, it affects those students who cannot acquire/do not acquire the technical skills and "know-how" to advance and master technology. As James Paul Gee points out, "More important, it is about who has access (and who does not) to well-designed learning systems and mentorship." (Gee, 14). This naturally leaves children who's families do not have the wealth to spend on technology at a disadvantage.
Third, does the rise of technology set the platform for the educational deficits in young Americans? Mark Bauerline states "the digital age stupefies American children". His reasoning behind this claim is linked not to the advancement of technology which in his video he agrees has many positive educational benefits, but rather is linked to the manner in which adolescents choose to use technology. O Connor's article states that ninety percent of high school students spend less than an hour a day on homework, yet on average they spend just under five hours every day in front of various social networks such as emailing, texting, Face Book, Twitter, etc. (O' Connor, 2).
The good news is, there may be a valuable resource that may "mentor" our children, (as Mark states in his video). Teachers may hold the key to closing these gaps. By using the valuable technology we have and repurposing it to promote academics and literacy while at the same time teaching children to become technologically proficient. However, this just doesn't fix the issue that Mark bring forth with the fact that technology has made this "millennial" generation dumb.
Sounds like mentoring is an easy plan, however a couple key areas that Mark and James point out are that teachers themselves are not necessarily the most digitally driven mentors. Teachers have been schooled themselves to rely on literature and classroom textbooks to teach their students. Also another area that would need to be addressed is the cost basis for technology. How do we ensure that all students would have equal access to digital equipment and the latest technology? And lastly as Mark so eloquently points out, its not so much a problem that the "Millennial" generation does not know anything, "it's that they don't care that they don't know anything!" (O'Connor, 5). Is this an accurate perspective? My opinion, you don't know what you don't know!
Works Cited:
Gee, J. P. (2008). Getting over the slump: Innovation strategies to promote children's learning. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from www.joanganzcooneycenter.org
O'Connor, E. (2009). The dumbest generation: How the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future (or, don't trust anyone under 30), by Mark Bauerlein. New york: Jeremy P. Tarcher/penguin, 2008, 24.95 hardbound. Academic Questions, 22(2), 234-239.
A second issue of concern is the newly emerging gap connected to the skills needed to adapt to our ever-changing digital world. In other words, it affects those students who cannot acquire/do not acquire the technical skills and "know-how" to advance and master technology. As James Paul Gee points out, "More important, it is about who has access (and who does not) to well-designed learning systems and mentorship." (Gee, 14). This naturally leaves children who's families do not have the wealth to spend on technology at a disadvantage.
Third, does the rise of technology set the platform for the educational deficits in young Americans? Mark Bauerline states "the digital age stupefies American children". His reasoning behind this claim is linked not to the advancement of technology which in his video he agrees has many positive educational benefits, but rather is linked to the manner in which adolescents choose to use technology. O Connor's article states that ninety percent of high school students spend less than an hour a day on homework, yet on average they spend just under five hours every day in front of various social networks such as emailing, texting, Face Book, Twitter, etc. (O' Connor, 2).
The good news is, there may be a valuable resource that may "mentor" our children, (as Mark states in his video). Teachers may hold the key to closing these gaps. By using the valuable technology we have and repurposing it to promote academics and literacy while at the same time teaching children to become technologically proficient. However, this just doesn't fix the issue that Mark bring forth with the fact that technology has made this "millennial" generation dumb.
Sounds like mentoring is an easy plan, however a couple key areas that Mark and James point out are that teachers themselves are not necessarily the most digitally driven mentors. Teachers have been schooled themselves to rely on literature and classroom textbooks to teach their students. Also another area that would need to be addressed is the cost basis for technology. How do we ensure that all students would have equal access to digital equipment and the latest technology? And lastly as Mark so eloquently points out, its not so much a problem that the "Millennial" generation does not know anything, "it's that they don't care that they don't know anything!" (O'Connor, 5). Is this an accurate perspective? My opinion, you don't know what you don't know!
Works Cited:
Gee, J. P. (2008). Getting over the slump: Innovation strategies to promote children's learning. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from www.joanganzcooneycenter.org
O'Connor, E. (2009). The dumbest generation: How the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future (or, don't trust anyone under 30), by Mark Bauerlein. New york: Jeremy P. Tarcher/penguin, 2008, 24.95 hardbound. Academic Questions, 22(2), 234-239.
Week 5, Blog #3 Reflection
1) What were some of your initial expectations about this class? How were your initial expectations confirmed or how did they change over the course of the semester?
Initially, I thought this class would be about the issues that adolescents face that may cause The course started in week #1 discussing juvenile incarceration, which was what I was expecting, but other topics such as the rights to education and fair labor practices, even the domestic violence patterns broadened my scope of youth and justice to more than the wrong-doings of adolescents but also the wrong-doings TOWARDS adolescents.
2) Given the various topics we've covered in the class, explain what you think is the most pressing issue facing youth today. Why is this particular issue such a major one?
I think the most pressing issues facing youth today is gang violence and its ties to the sale of drugs. Kids being raised in the inner cities are especially vulnerable. The perceptions of having wealth and a "family" seem to fill a gap of many children who suffer from poverty or a lack of a structured, loving home environment. This issue is such a major one because so many children in this day and age live in single family homes where parents are struggling to make ends meet.
3) Going back to the initial blog post question:(how old is 15?) How has your understanding of youth development changed (if at all)? What ideas have been confirmed for you? What ideas were new?
I feel I have had a wonderful childhood and a wonderful life, to the point I feel like I been living in a bubble. Many of the issues of extreme poverty, struggling for an education, even for the necessities of food and clothing, I have not had to endure. I didn't realize there were so many children having to struggle, being abused, taken advantage of and also neglected. I was saddened many times by the videos, especially the domestic violence video and the videos of the child soldiers being abducted in Africa. There needs to be so much more advocacy on a global level for the rights of children.
My Thoughts:
This course had an intense level of assignments, and I also realize that they were condensed into 5 weeks which made it more difficult. However, learning through videos was a wonderful approach to the class. I don't think I would have grasped the intensity and depth of the issues we studied each week without having the pictures!
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