Education and Urban Society: Ensuring Equality of Educational Oportunity in the Digital Age

Morse opens his discussion of equality of educational opportunity by referring to the famous case of Brown vs. Board of Education. In this case, a fight for educational equality regardless of race, the United States Supreme Court recognized that there are tangible and intangible factors associated with equality. Morse claims that these factors also apply to equality of educational opportunity in the digital age. This digital divide, as Morse calls it, has two sides to it. In a tangible sense, not all students/schools have equal access to technology. Intangibly, the specific uses of software and computer technology are unequal between different ethnic and social groups and in different schools.

National statistics clearly reveal that access/ownership of technology varies among different ethnic and social groups. Schools that are largely populated by students of diverse ethnic backgrounds, as well as those living in areas of poverty, have much less access to most types of technology than other schools. Morse offers the solution that the government should provide adequate and equal funds to all schools in order to even out access to technology. He also explains that schools in need of additional funding should write grants or participate in fundraising activities. I feel that although these are wonderful solutions, I am not convinced that they are entirely realistic. There are many difficulties with government funding of schools in relation to the No Child Left Behind Act. Thus, I do not see it as likely that the government will very readily offer equal funding for technology. I believe that the government would pull money from schools with unacceptable testing scores. Unfortunately, these schools are most likely the ones who most need the money for technology. The schools will then be forced to either fundraise or write grants. However, the impoverished schools in need of more funding will most likely be in communities that are not able to offer financial support to their schools. Thus, it seems unlikely that they will be able to pull themselves out of the rut they find themselves in.

Intangibly, not all schools are emphasizing use of technology in the same ways. Morse explains that most inner-city schools use computers and internet access only for students to acquire basic academic skills. In contrast, affluent schools use technology in an effort to develop students’ higher-order critical thinking skills. Morse claims that this problem can be addressed at the level of teacher training. I agree with this idea, but feel that it will certainly not solve the issue altogether. For example, Morse argues that we should train current and future teachers to effectively integrate technology into their lessons in ways that will challenge students to do more than rote memorization and regurgitation of simple facts. This, he says, will allow for more consistency and equality within technology use. Also, the teachers of teachers must be an example in using technology appropriately within their lessons. In my opinion, although attacking at the level of teacher training is very important link, there is more to the problem. The inner-city schools that are not using technology to its full potential are forced, in some ways, to maintain focus on very basic areas simply due to the academic levels of their students. It seems that because these areas are impoverished, the students of these schools are not as academically prepared to use technology in a more advanced way. These schools are so focused getting the students through the basics in preparation for state testing, little time remains for more advanced instruction in relation to the technology itself. Thus, the issue is much more complex that simply modifying teacher training.

Although there are not many readily available solutions, I feel that we are headed in the correct direction simply by recognizing that these issues need to be addressed. Perhaps we can find a way to raise money within the more prosperous schools and neighborhoods to donate to the less privileged schools. I believe awareness is the key. If the wealthier schools become more aware of the dire need for technology in other schools, it might be possible to start an outreach program. And certainly, by properly educating teachers and future educators alike, this will be an enormous step towards equal educational opportunity and breaking down the digital divide.