Rachel Watermeier 

Teac 259 Sec 007 

Teaching Strategies and the Digital Divide

It may come as a shock to many to hear the statistics behind the availability of broadband

Internet access in the United States. For example, research shows that only 53% of households

with an income of $20,000-$30,000 have broadband Internet access versus 85% of households

with a $75,000 or higher income (Demographics of Internet Users, 2009). However, lower

income families are not the only ones who are left behind when it comes to advances in

technology. A similar situation is evident amongst African American homes as well as those who

haven’t received beyond a high school education. This phenomenon is known as the Digital

Divide 2.0. But not only does this issue deal with whether or not a person has access to

technology, but also their ability to attain the skills needed to apply it. It is the block that exists

between persons of different financial, racial, intellectual, and a variety of other factors that

causes them to lack access to technological applications and to inhibit their skills needed to

effectively use those applications.

In contrast to the old Digital Divide 1.0, which dealt primarily with access to computers

and internet, the new divide changes our thinking to focus also on abilities to incorporate

technology in our daily lives as a result of the spreading of technology over time. As a matter of

fact, research from the National Center for Education Statistics says that 99% of schools have

computer and Internet access (Public Schools with Internet Access, 2006). Therefore, we no

longer need to worry only about the availability of technology; instead we should concern

ourselves with the children’s individual skill sets and ability to compete in the future job market.

According to Jennifer Hoar (2006) of CBS NEWS, “The digital divide framework is different

now because inner-city kids need to be able to compete with suburban kids — and kids in

Shanghai.” (para. 10) In today’s evolving world, our teachers need to do more than teach the
Rachel Watermeier 
Teac 259 Sec 007 
basics. They must now go even further by incorporating “academic content at much higher levels

by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects,” (21st Century Learning,

2009, p. 2). This is the issue that educators now face.

As a future educator, I have developed several ideas on how to solve this problem. Some

teacher’s may think this problem is too difficult to address and simply put aside using technology

altogether. However, technology is such an important aspect of learning that this solution will

keep students from their full learning potential. According to Edutopia Staff (2008) the proper

use of technology in the classroom allows for “active engagement, participation in groups,

frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts.” (para. 2). For this

reason it is necessary to find creative solutions to the problem of the Digital Divide 2.0. My

resolution for the access part of the divide involves always being sure that the students are given

ample class time to complete projects that they may not be able to do at home. Additionally, I

would ensure that they also have access to a school computer lab to work on their own during

school hours. As far as the integration of 21st century skills, I would try to ensure that each lesson

had some sort of technological aspect to their learning. This way if they are using technology on

a near-daily basis they will become familiar enough with it that they will have the skills

necessary to function easily in our technology-based nation. Furthermore, it would be beneficial

to the students to make each lesson relative to daily life in order to broaden their abilities to make

connections with the real world.

To conclude, the Digital Divide 2.0 is a problem that is found today in many schools

which keeps students from expanding their knowledge by using technology and learning 21st

century skills. It can be solved by integrating technology only while in the classroom and

teaching using real-life examples. Using these techniques we can help to diminish the presence

of the divide in schools across the nation.

 Rachel Watermeier 
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Works Cited

Edutopia Staff. (2009). Why Integrate Technology Into the Curriculum?. Retrieved from

http://my.unl.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?co

urse_id=_285275_1

Demographics. (2009). Demographics of Internet Users. Retrieved from

http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-Data/Whos-Online.aspx

Hoar, Jennifer. (2006). The Digital Divide 2.0. Retrieved from

http://my.unl.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?co

urse_id=_285275_1

National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). Percentage of Public School Instructional

Rooms with Internet Access. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=46

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved from

http://my.unl.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?co

urse_id=_285275_1