EmergingTechResearchProject

Do significant differences exist in the students’ usage of technology tools between those who have access to computers at home and those who do not?

students in suburban schools had significantly greater access to computers at home than did their rural/urban counterparts. Students in suburban classrooms spent significantly more time on computers both at home and in school than did the rural/urban students.

These findings suggest that access to computers at home is an important factor in students’ utilization of computer resources. Moreover, providing physical access to computers in schools may be insufficient to close the digital divide in computer technology by school location. Even when schools provide equal access to computers for all students, the digital divide in students’ usage of technology tools still remains, due to differing students’ home environments.

Technology is increasingly a means for empowering students, a method for communication and socializing, and a ubiquitous, transparent part of their lives.

Technology continues to profoundly affect the way we work, play, collaborate, communicate, learn, and succeed.

The digital divide, once seen as a factor of wealth, is now seen as a factor of education: those who have the opportunity to learn technology skills are in a better position to obtain and make use of technology than those who do not.