Digital access formerly was an unknown topic to me. However, throughout my Creative Design Using Technology course, i have learned that digital access is to take part fully in the electronic society. Digital access is the first element of digital citizenship, which can be described as the standards of appropriate, responsible behavior in regard to the use of technology. In this day and age, it seems that most humans are attentive digital citizens. Having a smartphone, Facebook account, blog, or email account are some examples of how you would be considered a digital citizen. The concept of digital access, or your participation in the public portion of today's technological world, has a substantial effect on my daily life. I work with computers and other electronics excessively, whether it's for school-related tasks, social interaction, or entertainment and news. If I were to live without availability to electronics, I would definitely experience difficulty completing my homework, and I would unquestionably go half out of my mind with boredom. I believe that people with digital access do not take the time to feel thankful, as I am without question beholden with gratitude.
The digital divide in education is the gulf between the students who have ready access to the Internet and those who do not. Race, income, and age are all factors in this gap. If a student does not have the ability to use the Internet or a computer, they will most likely not do as well as the students who do. More and more programs for school are online-based in this day and age, and you can look at your grades whenever you want if you have Internet access. The students who have to live without have a harder time completing assignments, and it is not as easy for them to check their grades. Furthermore, researching topics for projects or homework is primarily done online; the less fortunate students without access can’t retrieve all of the information that they need. To continue, the digital divide can affect a student who does not have Internet access at home because they cannot have social media accounts online. Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. are popular ways for communication and making friends in someone’s youth. The students affected by the digital divide may feel ostracized in their school socially since they are one of the few not connected to social media. Lastly, the futures of the kids who are growing up without Internet at home will be set back. Technology will only be used more and more as time goes on, and if they do not have a thorough understanding of it, their job opportunities may be scarce.
The digital divide does not have much of an affect on me. My household is lucky enough to have working Internet access, and it is available to me whenever I need to use it. It does upset me, however, that there are students who can't use the Internet at home. I could never imagine living without it since I use my computer for various tasks every day. The digital divide at my town's high school, Bacon Academy, is not very noticeable. In the classes that I take, there is no one who does not have Internet access at home. Even so, I know that there are students who live without, but the number decreases each year. For the few who don't have Internet access at home, I suppose it is more of a struggle than it would be in other towns since it is thought by most students that everyone has access by now. Though, my impressionable assumption about the almost-all majority of students having Internet at home could be false. It is possible that I have just not been in contact with anyone who did not have access.
The education system can gap the digital divide that is occurring by making libraries, schools, and other buildings with free computer usage open for longer in the evening. Also, teachers can specifically alter assignments to make it easier for students without Internet. In addition, a computer club could possibly be set up in schools. In this club, students could use the school computers after school for even longer to work on whatever they would like, or ask for help to improve their digital literacy. Lastly, the education system could make students more aware of the digital divide, and students could have "computer dates" where they bond while allowing another student to get their work done. President Obama signed a bill in 2010 that required the telecommunications industry to follow guidelines that made using smartphones, the Internet, and other technologies easier for blind, deaf, or visually impaired people. In the article I read about the topic, the president stated the difficulties people who can't use the Internet face, and how technology is necessary for finding jobs. These guidelines enforced by the president for people with visual or hearing impairments are a step that needs to be taken for any school student who needs to use a computer or Internet.
Digital access is something everyone should be able to have in this time period. It is essential for advancing yourself in society, applying for jobs, and excelling in school. Being a digital citizen is a factor of everyday life in the 21st century, therefore there should be no divide between those who have or don't have access.
