Planning the Future of NYC

Technology, Education, and Maintaining  Equal Opportunity

Natalia Malone

Nowadays, schools expect students to have computers. Even in elementary and middle schools, papers are expected to be typed, asignments often include looking up information on websites, and communication out of class occurs largely through the internet. If your computer  or printer isn’t working,  you’re expected to go to the Library or a friend’s house. Nowadays, computers are cheap enough that most families to afford them. But for many students in low-income families, there just isn’t enough money to put toward a computer, and its out of the student’s hands.
This is why, the program spoken about at the event, which organizes the donation of PCs from companies to schools, who in turn distribute them to children who need them (guaranteed for life, with updates) essential if we really want all students to be on the same playing field. Its also a shame that due to the economic crisis, companies are no longer donating as many computers, and the organization is not meeting the required quotas for computers for children. Another organization using technology to reach out to disadvantaged children is imentor, which uses match.com to pair a student with professionals as mentees.
It is no longer a question as to whether computers should be as integrated as they are in education. While it is dangerous to be so reliant on technology (blackboard), the advantages seem to outweigh the set-backs. We must make sure not to let education’s integration with technology leave the playing field even more un-even than before. These programs try to use the donation of computers and mentees to do the oposite.