treehouserock

I ran across this research that makes an interesting follow up to my last post on equal access to technology. A recent study funded by the US Department of Education, “Children Families & Media” which concluded that:

1) A wide range of media and media technologies are owned and utilized by families and young children.

2) Families and individuals at every economic level participate in media and technology ownership and use.

3) There are differences in the incidence of ownership by income level for some media, particularly in more expensive and emerging media technologies that are less commonly found at lower income levels. Other technologies enjoy near universal penetration.

4) Ownership and involvement in media and technology is about both affordability and perceived value(s); not everyone necessarily wants all media.

5) The use of media—or the functions that media technologies serve—is similar across the income spectrum. Once owned, there is little variation in how these technologies are used.

These findings paint a complex portrait of the relationship between income and media technology use and ownership. Certain media technologies, such as television, radio, and CD players, are now essentially universal (over 90% of all households with young children own these technologies). It has taken decades to arrive at these levels of ownership and access. Computers became available to the public a mere 20 years ago and have become part of daily life in many households (computers are present in 63% of all households and 37% of households at the lowest income level—those earning less than $25,000). These current rates of computer ownership reflect their relative newness. Cable or satellite subscriptions are keeping pace, providing Internet and cable channel access for many households (over 80% of all homes, and 58% of householdsearning less than $25,000 have cable access). Further, the rapid rise of mobile phoneuse (mobile phones are present in 75% of all households and 58% of lowest income households), as well as ownership of DVD players (present in 84% of all households and 69% of the lowest income households), and video games (found in 58% of all households and 40% of the lowest income households) all illustrate the rapid integration of media technologies across the income spectrum.

Full study here

I think these findings are very encouraging. While there is still a fairly significant gap regarding access to a computer & the internet between income levels, at the rate that computer useage is increasing among low imcome families, the gap will continue to narrow significantly. This is extremely important in a world where (yes you may roll your eyes as I say it) access to technology and the knowledge to use it, are becoming increasingly vital.

In another article from I&M Online (a Nantucket Island Newspaper) that discussed the prevalance of computer use in highschools:

Like many colleges these days, Colorado College requires all students to bring their own computer, although there are several computer labs with printers on campus. Even if it was not required, though, O’Connor said she’d probably still bring her own computer.

“It’s just easier that way,” she said.

The same even goes for public high school. Phoebe McKee, a senior at Nantucket High School, said that although the school has a two computer labs, it is much more efficient to have her own computer at home.

“More than half (of my classes) require pretty much everything to be word-processed,” said McKee, the other half being science and math courses. “The high school is pretty good at providing for the students in the technology department, but it is harder than just having one at home. Probably about more than half the time, for literature and history definitely, the Internet comes in a great deal (for research).”

full article here

This last point is key – it’s easier to have a computer at home – ownership translates to effective use. Hopefully that gap keeps closing quickly.

Sources:

Education Week

“Home-Based Digital Divide”

The Inquirer & Mirror

“Back to School Survival Gear: Laptops & Cellphones?”

by Gabriella Burnham