Digital Divide

Any article on technology dated 2003 should read like ancient history. The article I read by Bud Gillian, however, read like the running commentary in my head when I'm at work. The digital divide has many cultural causes, such as as age and economics. We are split between the Haves and Have Nots, the Wills and Won'ts, etc. The irony of reading this article after reading Autumn's excellent explanation of how to use PDF files with ActivStudio was quite rich. My only presentation medium for years at several schools has been a 3x5 whiteboard. One school I taught at just dismantled and dispersed its lab of new though basic Emacs because no one knew how to use them, except a couple of teachers. Yes, Autumn, I am jealous.

I am also very concerned about our students. One veteran teacher in my district said, "We're doing a great job of teaching, but they are not learning." Among the many explanations I entertain for this is that we are providing a 20th century education to 21st century learners. Brains formed by watching tv and using electronics of all sorts are very different from brains formed by reading. One of my hopes is that the School Library Program will help me understand how to reach these new brains, of which I do not have one.

Gillian, Bud. (2003). Crossing the Great Divide with Networks, Teaching, and Interactivity. Library Media Connection, 22(3), 38-42.