Educational Technology in Schools- Assignment 1

"Educational Technology isn't Leveling the Playing Field"

Summary:

This article talks about the advantages and disadvantages of poor and affluent children in the world of technology. Kensington, Philadelphia (Badlands), an area of 90% poverty rate and 29% unemployment rate, is compared to a neighborhood a few miles down the road called Chestnut Hill where educated professionals live in homes costing over $400,000. These places are provided with a few of the same resources such as public libraries and speedy internet access. A group of professors spent many hours in both local libraries observing what both have to offer their students and children. The affluent children and the poor children use the technology differently. Though they have the same equipment, they are not exposed to the same knowledge of it. The author goes on to describe why the poor children are far more disadvantaged than the richer children for many reasons such as learning education early, being taught how to properly use the technology, and the Matthew Effect. The author suggests test scores are an affect of technology as well, but in conclusion the author believes that leveling the playing field for poor and affluent children goes beyond computers and technology.

My Opinion:

My opinion is that the title says it all "technology isn't leveling the playing field." Whether one school has the latest Mac books and the one down the road has the Dell dinosaurs, it is about how the children are exposed to using it. Not only do you need technology to learn but you also need someone to teach the proper way of using technology. But it is not all about technology. Children should know how to use and understand all resources for learning. No student should depend on any one resource. I completely agree with the Matthew Effect. Education and learning begin at an early age. As for the poor and affluent children, that all depends on what the children are exposed to at home, not just at school or the public library.

Introduction

My name is Reagan Prentiss. I'm 21 years old. I am from Leakesville, MS. I'm a transfer sophomore from MGCCC, where I played two years of softball. I am an Elementary Education major here at USM after some soul searching. I hope when I graduate that I can go back to my hometown to teach kindergarten. But if I cannot teach in the Greene County School District, I still want to be in Mississippi. I love softball and I love the outdoors. I love spending time with my family and friends. I spend most of my time with my nephew and my newborn niece. I can't wait to see what this year has in store! SMTTT!!!!