Klarinet Archive - Posting 000342.txt from 1999/03

From: Michael Cogswell <Michael_Cogswell@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] RE: tech gap (was store closings)
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 15:01:26 -0500

Mark wrote:

"I can imagine the division between "have" and "have nots" growing all too
easily."

It is growing not only easily, but quickly. Here in Fairfax County,
Virginia (which one could argue is the center of the internet universe) the
teachers seem to take it for granted that "everyone" has a computer. My
daughter has received many high school assignments that *required* a
computer. It's true that anyone who doesn't have one at home has access to
one in school, but that access favors the students who are most likely to
have one at home. A student can stay and use a system in the classroom,
computer lab or library but that requires transportation to get home. With
late busses only twice a week that favors the students who drive. The very
ones who probably have a computer at home anyway. The kids who are
"networked" work on projects and homework using the internet for research
and as a meeting place where they can study and work together. They have a
tremendous advantage over the kids who lack home computers. If nothing
else, the appearance of their work when it is created with word processors,
graphics packages and color printers is probably worth a half to a whole
grade. The ability to run all their essays and other writing assignments
through a spelling and grammar checker doesn't hurt either!

Even small technical advantages matter. I seriously doubt many students
from my daughter's school will lack a graphing calculator when they walk in
the SAT test this month. How many points is that worth over the poor
students who have to take the SAT without one?

MikeC

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