Due to the middle class, suburban nature of my school district, I would guess that more of my students have computer/internet access in their homes, than in many other districts. From talking with the students in my classes, the only students who don't currently have computer access, are kids whose computers are in need of repairs. That being said, there are still many issues to be considered when planning lessons.
Many kids have to share one computer with multiple siblings, who also have homework assignments to complete on them. Also, students have older operating systems that won't allow them to access certain web tools, or even parts of the school's website. Lately, I have been hearing that students do not have Microsoft Office, because the package no longer comes with most new computers and their parents didn't spend the extra couple of hundred dollars to purchase it. The thing that really surprises me is the occasional kid who says they still have dial-up internet access, which causes problems with downloading/uploading work. Along with that issue is the situation when Internet service is disrupted, due to a parent being out of work and the bills not being paid.
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2 comments:
Good points. Along with student who do not have access to Microsoft Office comes the challenge of supporting students using other packages - oftentimes open source. Not every student has the skill set to maneuver through those tech issues.
You make some interesting arguments...I agree that it is difficult when students are not able to even get TIME on the one computer in their homes. I think this is where parents need to come into play and limit the amount of time allotted for each child on the computer. Work before play!!
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