Last week, I asked a question about educational access and whether or not there was a problem. Most of the responses cite issues in relation to poverty and technology and how unfair it is to those who can’t afford computers and networks. A couple of people made reference to a broader context, but what about those who can’t access education because of poverty.
When we talk about access, we tend to focus on the “plug in” kind of access and we begin talking about how we’re never going to be able to use computers and networks effectively in the education because too many people can’t afford the technology at home. We tend to overlook the people who can’t afford access to even more fundamental technology like nutrition, transportation, and sleep.
How much can that kid learn today if breakfast was a slice of bread and butter or less?
How much access will the kid get who has to stay home and take care of a sick sibling because Mom has to work and she can’t send the sick one to daycare?
I’m not even going to get into the violence, abuse, alcohol, and crime issues that poverty engenders.
When we think about access, what we can do about it, and the differences between haves and have-nots, don’t get side-tracked by the text. Solomon is talking about digital equity, but that’s only one very small component.
January 26th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I had never looked at educational access from this perspective. There are so many different influences that effect ones educational ability. I guess I was only thinking technologically. If you look at the broad term “Educational Access” I see where many factors can play a role. What can we do about it? It seems we try to help as many as possible, but it seems many of those factors are hidden from the human eye. You can tell there are problems, but actually proving and making access for all…that seems to be the problem. How can we reach the entire world and make educational access for all? It seems like a nice term, but seems difficult in terms of reality.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
I think that a lot of us consider it from a technology point of view because 1) this is a tech class and 2) it is “easier” for us to talk about lack of technology access than the others mentioned above. This makes me think of the email that our superintendent sent us about a week ago or whenever it was really really cold and all the schools around us seemed to be closed for one reason or another. He asked us to remember all the students who would be warmer at school than would be at home and all the students who would be getting two hot meals. I also know several students in my school who have to miss on a somewhat regular basis to take care of their siblings. If these students had access to a computer/Internet, they could work on online lessons. Of course, our society seems built on the haves and have nots so there will always be a problem with educational access in one way or another.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Yeah, Jamie, that’s exactly the case.
And I found more people today who had been talking about this already. That’ll teach me to make sure my gator is empty before posting myself.
But one of the “themes” that keeps coming up in regard to digital equity is the issue of “fairness” — the “we can’t do it for anybody because not everybody would have access to it” idea. The problem with THAT argument is that if we took it to the logical extreme, we’d have to close the schools, too, because while the doors are open, not everybody has equitable access.
They SHOULD. We operate as if they do.
But the reality is that they don’t.
So as we’re considering the ethical implications of the digital divide, don’t forget that we have other issues to consider in our ‘culture’ than ‘technology’ when it comes to ‘education.’
January 27th, 2009 at 10:28 am
This is so true. I hadn’t thought about educational access in this way. There are so many students that have difficulty accessing education because of poverty or situations at home. I know that each one of us, as teachers, could tell some stories that would bring tears to your eyes about what some of these students face at home, but due to confidentiality we can’t go into detail. These students do not have a fair chance at an education, but they are entitled to it. I think as a school, we need to do a better job preparing these students for the future…….instead we push more content down their throat and hope they learn and get up to grade level. But in addition to helping these students learn, we need to teach them common everyday things that will help them in life…….how to apply for scholarships for college, how to access resources/people in their communities that can help them, etc. Just having a high school degree isn’t going to get them out of poverty; instead they need to learn “how” to overcome these obstacles.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I am bad for thinking of what I see in the school I teach at and where I attended school. I don’t think globaly. There are countries that do not have free education and schools to provide knowlege, socialization, food, warmth, and so on. I do see students that have a hard time accessing the free education because thier mom was taken to jail or they are bounced from different homes. I think about our FRC department and what they did over the summer for one of the families. The children didn’t even know how to feed themselves properly. They worked with them all summer to acquire the simplest of skills, which in turn is making them more cofident and gaining more success in school. The truth is that there are so many barriers and so little resources to help provide educational services. Just because a student shows up to school doesn’t mean that she or he is recieving the proper access to education.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I also looked at this question as a tech question. However, where I am involved with younger students-first graders- these other questions and considerations like their home life, getting hot meals, etc. have always been on my mind. We provide a hot breakfast for those who don’t get it at home. We provide school supplies, jackets, clothes, etc. through our Family Resource program. We provide transportation through bussing. And it is my job to make them feel loved, cared about, important, and safe. Part of my job as a teacher is to teach them to survive in his/her situation-whatever it may be. Sometimes it is very difficult but I try my best to make them realize how important and special each of them are. The use of technology is very beneficial in the classroom especially to the “luckier” students that have a good homelife and has access to a computer after school hours, but sometimes just the use of pictures and talking and sharing are what the students need and relate to more. As first graders they love to share stories and I try to take the time to listen to each student in order to make them feel like their contribution to the class is important to me.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I also had not thought about educational access in this way. Primarily because of the type of class this is. This being a technology class kinda took my thinking toward the technological aspect. I do realize the other access issues mentioned in this blog. There are always going to be students who don’t have basic access to education for one reason or another. This is really sad. There are also students who, when there is no school, are missing out on food to eat and a warm and safe environment that the school provides. My school has been out for 10 days now (in a row) and there are some students who really needed to be in school, not only for the education, but also to be somewhere warm and with food. These are the students who need be be worried about.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I have a lot in common with Jonda. (She posted earlier.) I had thought of this question as a technology question, since it was for a tech. class, however, these other needs are something that I try to help students with daily. Our FRC helps students with clothing, etc, but making each child feel special in so important while teaching, especially the little ones.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
I also just looked at this as the plug in kind. I too teach at a school with lots of children that come from low income families. We have children that have no coats, clean clothes, supplies much less food at home. School in many instances are the child’s home where there are hot meals, heat, water and a kind face. Many of our children have limited access to their education much less any form of technology except for what the school provides.