We've heard about a "digital divide" for so long now, we all tend to believe it exists. But does it? New research would indicate that low income kids have nearly the same access to the Internet as their wealthier peers and are benefiting from acquiring computer and tech skills. The study, completed by researchers at the University of Minnesota, was conducted among high school students throughout the midWest. They found that 94% of the kids are using the Internet, 82% have that access at home and 77% have a social networking page.
In my visits to schools, I've found this data to hold true. While visiting with members of an inner city Boys and Girls Club, a little boy around 9 years old bragged to me about his MySpace page. (More shocking was his next claim - of a girlfriend!) And when I was in North Carolina, speaking to residents of housing project, all hands went up when we asked about computers in their homes. Anecdotally, it is my experience that while these children may not have much money, they can get a used or hand-me-down computer or simply share a computer with several people in their home. Or they are using free access at their local library or school when those computers are tied up or not available. And they are developing actual skills as a result of this access.
"Students using social networking sites are actually practicing the kinds of 21st century skills we want them to develop to be successful today," said Christine Greenhow, a learning technologies researcher in the university's College of Education and Human Development and lead investigator of the study. "Students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and customizing content and thinking about online design and layout. They're also sharing creative original work like poetry and film and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology."
This is such good news and should be quite rewarding to those who have worked so hard to ensure we get computers with Internet access into our libraries and schools. There are risks to be sure, but the rewards are beginning to show, especially for those who so typically go without.