MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-08-20 |
| FROM | From: "Inker, Evan"
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] Connecting Kids to Technology: Challenges and Opportunities
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Connecting Kids to Technology: Challenges and Opportunities
Tony Wilhelm, Delia Carmen, and Megan Reynolds, Annie E. Casey Foundation
and Benton Foundation
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/stories/index.cfm?key=244
July 8, 2002
The following is the introduction to the new Snapshot report from the Annie
E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT program.
As America enters the 21st century, it is clear that technology is
infiltrating nearly every facet of our lives. Recent employment projections
from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 8 of the 10 fastest
growing occupations are computer- related.
Technology futurists predict that more sophisticated, innovative
technological systems will become common features of nearly every workplace
and home. There are enormous possibilities and opportunities ahead for young
workers who possess "21st-century literacy"-that is, the knowledge and
skills to take advantage of the new Internet-related technologies.
Because 21st-century literacy is so important, it is imperative that
governments, industry, and philanthropic organizations support programs that
provide access and training in underserved communities, particularly for
young people. Unfortunately, program cuts proposed at the federal level
could drastically diminish the ability of neighborhoods to address the
digital divide. How will increased reliance on computers and the Internet
affect outcomes for kids in low-income central-city neighborhoods where 84
percent of households with children did not have a computer?
For the more than 4 million children who are without a phone in the home,
the implications of the digital divide are even more evident. Despite the
rapid increase in computer use and Internet access during the late 1990s,
there is still a formidable gap that separates the haves from the have-nots.
Generally, children who are already disadvantaged are the least likely to
have access to the new technology. Minority children, children living in
poor families, and particularly those living in high-poverty neighborhoods
are the least likely to have a computer at home or access to the Internet.
Schools close some of the gap, but significant disparities remain even after
access at school is taken into account.
In the 2000 KIDS COUNT Data Book, we examined the isolation that plagues
many low-income families when they are disconnected from economic
opportunity, social supports, and the services and organizations established
to assist them. Their lack of home Internet access will only deepen that
isolation as these opportunities and meaningful connections are increasingly
available online only.
This Snapshot examines the demographics of the digital divide, discusses
some implications of current trends, and highlights a few efforts to bridge
the divide and provide a level playing field for all children. A PDF of the
Snapshot is available at
http://www.aecf.org/publications/pdfs/snapshot_june2002.pdf.
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