The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank. – George Sheehan

This has been the week to examine differences – differences between those with computers and those without, those possessing technology skills and those with little knowledge, those with unrestricted access and those with impediments to usage. In preparation for my upcoming wiki assignment on the gender divide, I have been reading about other aspects of the digital divide – age, ethnic, economic status, geographic situation, etc. Who knew that there were so many differences or digital divides, all different reflections of a fluctuating gap between the digital haves and have not’s. The one major point that comes through in every article I have read on the subject of the digital divide, is that there is no single cause for this disparity and no easy solution to eliminating this gap. Simply purchasing more computers for schools does not deal with the related underlying social issues. The digital divide is part of a much bigger picture of social inequities and complex influences.

The digital disparities which exist were clearly illustrated a few days ago when I discovered a YouTube video entitled Bridging the Divides that described the impact of a new telecommunication centre upon a rural village in Uganda. At the time I was curled up in bed, surfing through videos about the digital divide on my iPod touch. My first thought was that the video was a propaganda-style charity piece but as I watched I realized that it was simply demonstrating what an profound, far-reaching effect access to the simplest of technologies can have. As for the villagers, a man who sold bicycles was now able to improve his business because he was able to telephone to order necessary parts and a farmer was able to produce more food after learning more productive agricultural techniques. This really brought home, in highly visual terms, the disparity between technology access on a broader scale and how it influences global economies. But it also made me realize that even small changes towards closing the digital gap can produce positive results.

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Bridging the Divides

The pattern of technology access explained in The Digital Divide in Canada Stats Canada article was heavily based on statistical analysis. I've suffered from math anxiety - my Print Generation's version of computer anxiety - and have always shied away from anything involving numbers. However, I made myself read through the article and was quite amazed how the author George Sciadas used numbers to explain that the divide is usually most pronounced when new technology is introduced and then closes as it becomes more mainstream. However, even statistics do not fully explain why there continues to be a persistent divide with computer technology, one not explained by affordability.

The digital divide which perhaps holds the most immediate implication for educators is the growing gap between the information technology knowledge of those who teach and their students. The four levels of this divide are explained in the AASL article Our Digital Divides are Showing. This article forced me to consider what actions I have taken to promote the use technology in my school and to help my staff develop their knowledge of technology. I even went so far as to assign myself progress letter grades for each level: Access(B), Professional Development (A), Policy (C-) and Motivation (C+). Definitely room for improvement.

The technology knowledge divide between the staff and students is evident in my school. We have teachers who are capable of designing software programs and others who don't even know where the on button is on the computer. We have students who do all their work on laptops and can't walk down the hall between classes without texting messages, or reorganizing their playlists. Other students have to ask me how to log in on the library computers. I can see that opportunities exist to offer instruction and guidance. I can share information and initiate discussions with the administration, become part of the Technology Committee, lobby for open access for students, continue my own self-directed technology learning, and formulate a library vision to introduce the new literacies to both students and staff. I can teach

One practical idea to begin to “scatter the seeds of Schools 2.0” is offering technology lessons to our teaching assistants when I return in September. I can teach them how to search effectively, use databases, create wikis and VoiceThreads. I know the TAs will share this knowledge with their students and perhaps even the teachers they work with. They will become my ambassadors for integrating technology practices into teaching and the beginnings of grassroots change. I also forwarded the Digital Divide video to my administrator with a note saying I’d love to sit down and chat with him sometime about how we can effectively integrate technology in our school. I loved this video because it clearly delivers the message that purchasing computers and new technology doesn't bridge gaps. Traditional teaching practices must also change to truly accommodate the needs of today's Net Generation.

I am quite looking forward to actually apply my new insights about technology in education in a practical way. It's time to take some of the ideas I've read about and try them out. My first step will be to get myself on the Technology Committee so I can identify what I can help positively change about the four levels of influence that create digital divides in schools. I also want to share my knowledge about Web 2.0 tools by finding ways to incorporate technology into library lessons. I’ve got quite a challenge ahead of me but hopefully I will be able to make progress at leveling the playing field in our school for both teachers and students. After all, this is all part of the 21st Century Librarian Manifesto!