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The Digital Divide – It’s More than You Think
The call for transformational change in education is largely a result of the enormous and unequal impact of technology in the world. Join LACOE and Syfr for the first of four conferences looking specifically at the digital divide and the call for transformational change. The name of the conference "Using Innovation and Creativity to Shape Transformational Change" is reflective of the two main topics: 21st Century Skills and Leading Change. Syfr’s weekly podcast series will be included for all participants for one year and you can visit SyfrSpace, the home of Syfr’s podcast series, at www.syfrspace.org or by clicking on the link on this page.
In education we tend to think of the digital divide as a divide between students largely based on income as it is reflected in their ownership and use of digital technology but it is much more than that. The digital revolution has essentially bifurcated family income in the United States based on education. Those with an education earn, those without do not. It has done this in two ways. First, it has created a global economic community in which ideas travel inexpensively from country to country rewarding those countries with the most educated populations. Second, the facility with digital technologies is worth about a 10% to 15% increase in personal income in the labor market. So, first and foremost the digital divide is resulting in an income divide.
Then there is the divide between our students and our schools which is huge and growing. But the digital divide is also a generational divide and not just between adults and students but within the professional ranks of teaching and administration. This divide makes change difficult. And of course there is the divide between what we do with technology and the technology expectations and uses in the world outside school.
The first conference looks at “Using Innovation and Creativity to Shape Transformational Change.” Essentially transformational change is a learning process, albeit one that has dramatic consequences. This conference, together with its accompanying podcasts, looks at how to create capacity in the organization for the re-invention of public education at the school and district level and how to incorporate it into our classrooms. We will look at the contributions from Meg Wheatley, Tony Wagner and MCREL as they pertain to the organization as well as the work of Bob and Michele Bernstein and Bob Sternberg as they pertain to the classroom.
The next two conferences take a look at each of the various digital divides and how to address them. Conference Two, "Tomorrow’s Demands on Today’s Students," begins with an understanding of how the digital divide applies to family income in the United States, the premium it places on education and the ramifications for school content. The third conference, "Implementing a New Tomorrow," then moves to possible change strategies along with new teaching and learning strategies, not all of which require technology even though the demand for them is driven by technology.
Between conferences two and three is the Syfr Field Trip to 21st Century Companies. At least one person from each participating school districts may go on the Syfr Field Trip on December 9, 10 and 11. These are trips to companies that have created or transformed industries. They are ESRI, an LA area company that dominates the GIS mapping market and has essentially redefined maps based on satellite technology. The second is Pixar, who created digital animation which revolutionized film, advertising, and eventually communications. The last is Autodesk, who transformed the design industry with three dimensional design and printing tools. There is a travel cost associated with the field trip but no additional registration fee. The fee is $1,490 if you require the three nights of lodging. Meals, except breakfast, are included in the fee.
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