Tonight’s presentation at SDCOE about Casa Familiar and Cisco IT Essentials was informative. Many of the inequities described by the panel members coincide with the realities faced by my students as well: budget cuts, limited access, cash flow shortage to pay for internet services and computers… The digital divide is alive and well for my students. Even the public library has limited access!
However, programs such as Casa Familiar and the Cisco IT Essentials program provide "technology and education enhancement for very low-income youth and families in San Ysidro". Programs like these help to level the playing field for all students regarding technology. Another huge take away for me this evening was the Computers 2 SD Kids program which offers refurbished computers to families for approximately $40-60. In many cases, these “refurbished” computers are state of the art! Affordable, modern computers definitely level the playing field for impoverished students and families.
Schools are educating 21st century students, and teachers yearn to have students surf the web for research, blog, and post assignments. Accordingly, school districts must find methods to provide internet access to students and their families. The best example tonight was seeing the mother of 4 on the panel become completely animated when she told us her story about learning to use technology. She can now communicate in real time with relatives, apply for jobs, etc. Clearly, she feels empowered!
Casa Familiar and Cisco IT Essentials are two examples of excellent ideas and programs that can help narrow the digital gap… Hopefully our cities will take on this problem as well and go the route of “Smart Cities” such as Riverside.
Schools are educating 21st century students, and teachers yearn to have students surf the web for research, blog, and post assignments. Accordingly, school districts must find methods to provide internet access to students and their families. The best example tonight was seeing the mother of 4 on the panel become completely animated when she told us her story about learning to use technology. She can now communicate in real time with relatives, apply for jobs, etc. Clearly, she feels empowered!
Casa Familiar and Cisco IT Essentials are two examples of excellent ideas and programs that can help narrow the digital gap… Hopefully our cities will take on this problem as well and go the route of “Smart Cities” such as Riverside.
How could you get the information about the Computers 2 SD Kids Program to families in your school? Do you have an AVID program? It sounds like the students in San Ysidro got a great deal of information that way. The Cisco IT Essentials program also sounds like the way to go to lend support and training to families. I'll bet we could get some NC tech company to sponsor some scholarships for HS students to do the training and take the test. There are probably computer geeks who don't even know they are geeks yet! This would give them job training, community service, and alleviate the "who is going to train and maintain" question.
ReplyDeleteI think in a school like yours, soon to be Dr. Heck, that providing internet access to all students would probably assist that body of students who are presently unable to access computers.
ReplyDeleteI believe we will most likely see more smart city initiatives for a number of reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if the schools that were "failing" would have their moneys diverted to pay for internet access where students could attend online classes instead of the traditional schoolroom.
Tim,
ReplyDeleteExcellent observations. Casa Familiar receives lots of support for the excellent work it does. When I was at AT&T it was almost a line item each year in the budget. I read Pat's comment and again I ask why just AVID students. We don't give other deserving, but perhaps not challenged enough, students an opportunity
I think you are correct schools and school districts need to help families get connected. They do not have to do the work. Rather, they have to be the conduit through which families identify and get connected to people who can provide the necessary resources. If the schools do not do it it is hard to identify who will.
ReplyDeleteyou're susan, schools and school districts are on the hook here. We've seen it work with Casa Familiar. why not replicate it other parts of the city, county, state and nation? School have so much to gain from helping families get connected. As we say tonight, the three young students on the panel are so much more able to learn (and teach!) with technology access.
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