PPT about the Digital Divide

1. Digital
Divide
What is it?

2. Digital Divide
• noun
• the gap between those who
have computers with Internet
access and those who do not,
as well as the gap between
those who are computer
literate and those who are not

3. Ahead or behind?
• Which are you??

4. Ahead or behind?
• The digital divide is a
place. It is real and it is
that place existing between
having technology and not
having technology.
• It is not a math problem
• It DOES affect society’s
ability to teach all levels
equally and effectively.

5. Ahead or behind?
• In many circles it is
described even further by
one’s connectivity level.
• “I have 4G LTE, what do you
have?
• I have cable internet, it is
faster than your dial up.

6. Socioeconomic factors
• A Pew study made a
correlation that showed the
lower the income of a home,
the more likely it was that
the members of that home
relied on a smartphone as
their primary source of
connectivity.

7. Connectivity or productivity?
• Students from lower income
families relying on
smartphones for internet had
a lower likelihood of
actually turning in a
writing assignment.
Connectivity does not mean
productivity.

8. Smartphone saavy?
• One teacher estimated that 9
of 10 students did not have
internet access at home or
did not even have a
computer.
• BUT......
• Students still created
presentations for the
assignments using smartphone
apps. Creativity was not
beaten by lack of
connectivity

9. Tech Saavy
• Many teachers report that
even though students are
masters at social media like
Facebook and Twitter, they
still cannot create a simple
PowerPoint presentation.

10. Paradigm?
• Are we witnessing a new
Paradigm in progress?

11. Possibly....
• Smartphone technology is
still very young
• App Makers are struggling
with desktop compatibility
• Teachers struggle with
smartphone compatible
content.

12. What it IS
• An expression of the highest
level of connectivity as
compared to the lowest level
of connectivity.
• The White House has said
that the basic minimum
access speed that is
acceptable, is 3mb/s

13. What it is NOT
• It is NOT an indicator of
student intelligence
• It is NOT an indicator of
creativity
• It is NOT a measure of one’s
dedication to education.

14. Survey
TAKE THE SURVEY AND TELL
US IF YOU ARE ON THE
FRONT OF THE DIVIDE, THE
REAR OF THE DIVIDE, OR
IF YOU HAVE SIMPLY
FALLEN IN.

15. Thanks for Reading!