Digital Divide Redefined

I had always thought of the “digital divide” as being an issue of socioeconomics, until I read the whitepaper published by the MacArthur Foundation. They introduce the digital divide as being a disconnect between ways of learning and interaction outside the classroom versus inside the classroom. At this point, there is no doubt that the prevalence in technology is affecting the way our children learn, yet great strides have not been made in the classroom to bridge the gap or accommodate our new learners. Not only must we use technology to present content, we should start to consider what content we are presenting, not only how we are presenting it.

The MacArthur Foundation asks us, “Rather than assuming that education is primarily about preparing for jobs and careers, what would it mean to think of it as a process guiding youths’ participation in public life more generally?” As educators, I believe that we have a responsibility to take care of and develop the whole being of our students, not just what takes part in the classroom. If we are to keep our students engaged and the content relevant, we must be willing to take on technology and all of the developmental implications that come with it. This is a wonderful opportunity to create responsible media literate students who have more opportunities for change and success than any previous generation. If we move our goal as educators away from jobs and careers, our students may be more willing to use technology for more, out of the box, socially responsible ways.