Digital Divide

     Previously, I thought the digital divide was solely due to socio-economic status. More specifically, I thought those who are wealthy enough to buy a computer or smart phone are on one side of the digital divide while those who cannot afford a computer or smart phone are on the other.

     My understanding of the digital divide has definitely changed. Now that technology has advanced and become less expensive, many people have access to technology and the internet. The new divide has to do with how people use technology. This new division is fostered by those who create and those who consume. Those who create, i.e. movie producers, computer programs, website creators, and blog writers, improve their lives with technology while those who consume are simply bystanders and are not using technology to its full potential.

     Along with learning about "Voicethread," a useful piece of technology, this week's collaborative digital conversation helped me gain different perspectives on the same topic. In some cases, it reiterated what I had read and thought, and in other cases, I learned new things. These were things that I either did not retain when reading or did not think they were important until my classmates restated these ideas in their own words. I also thought that it was interesting to hear on what concepts my classmates chose to reflect.

Please click the play button below to listed to my classes' voicethread on the digital divide.

The 21st Century Learner

     I found the readings and video for this week interesting.  I think this is a crucial and exciting time for education because the traditional classroom is on it’s way out.  For this blog post, I chose to reflect on educational environments' inability to change and motivate learners.  I also chose to write about the digital disconnect between students and traditional schooling.  I will start with the latter point.

     I believe there are two main reasons for the digital disconnect between students and schools.  The first is that schools cannot afford to keep up with technology because it is ever evolving and, therefore, expensive.  Like most things, the core problem is money.  It is impossible to keep up with new technologies at under funded public schools.  Another reason for the digital disconnect is that lawmakers, principals and superintendents grew up in a different time.  Obviously, they are successful products of the traditional school system and they think, “If it is good enough for me then it is good enough for my kids.”  And while this traditional schooling will continue to work for some, those who learn differently will continue to suffer.

     As for educational environments' inability to change and motivate, I believe that has to do with students growing up, as the readings pointed out, in a fast-paced, stimulus-filled world.   It is nearly impossible to keep a student focused on one thing in a traditional classroom when he/she is used to juggling many things at once.  They simply get bored having to do only one task at a time.  I also believe that principals and superintendents are too caught up in standardized tests and data.  I understand that students need to have some sort of evaluation, but to keep the students motivated, the tests and data should be more open-ended and creative rather than boring rote-memorization.

     Please watch the video below that I wrote and produced.  It showcases my interpretation of the 21st century learner.  Enjoy.

Lincoln and Obama discuss the state of education
by: dnballinger

Bio

My name is David Ballinger.  I am an art teacher at Cascade Middle School.

I graduated from IU in 2006 and have been teaching art at the middle school and high school levels for six years.  I am currently pursuing my masters in art education, and this is my fourth masters class.

My wife and I live in Plainfield.  We do not have any children or pets.  Below is a picture I painted of us.

In my free time I enjoy making art.  The paintings I have created can be seen here on my website.

I have created a few youtube videos.  They can be seen here.

I am represented by an online art gallery.  Click here to see my artwork on ugallery.com.