David et al,

Getting computers to the students is a feat in and of itself, here are
two things that are happening in Frankfort. First we have a program
called Salvation PC, it is a donated computer/rehab program that allows
one to get a computer for a very reduced price... It is done in
conjunction with the United way.  The second project, which I really
dig, is an Eagle Scout did his project rehabbing computers and then
giving them to our Learning Center to distribute to students who wanted
them.  And one last tidbit, Walmart gave us two or three e-machines,
new, to distribute.

So it is possible to get them.  I wonder how many other Eagle Scout
candidates in other people's neck of the woods is doing something
similar? How many of them need the idea?

-----Original Message-----
From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 10:37 AM
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Technology 657] Re: Computer literacy as a requirement

Hello Millie,

You raise a good point. Not everyone yet has access to a computer at
home or work. But I would like to challenge the analogy with a car.  
Yes, if students don't have access to a computer and the Internet at
home, work, or someplace where they can easily and regularly use it,
computer literacy may not be very useful, just as driving lessons for
someone who has no access to a car may not be useful.  There are good
reasons for not having a car, however, for example when good public
transportation is available.  Now I'll go further out on a limb.  I see
no good reason why everyone shouldn't be able to have a computer at home
or work.

"What?" some would say. "Our students are poor and cannot afford one!"
Then I say it's our job to find or create programs which rehab donated
computers and make them available for under $200.  In many  
parts of the country these computer rehab programs already exist.   
Check out http://ctcnet.org/who/member_directory/index.htm .  There are
also lease/purchase arrangements where someone can have a new computer
at under $20/month, maybe less.  And in some cases, programs will have
to (some already do) lend students computers to use at home.  Out on my
limb, I am proclaiming that it is now our job -- the job of adult
literacy education programs -- to see that students have every
opportunity to have and use computers.  That's a programmatic leap, I
know.  But it's a leap I think we must take.  We now live in a society
that requires computer literacy, as much as it requires reading, writing
and other basic skills.

Some will point out that, even so, not every student wants to be
computer literate. That may be true for a small number, and we should
respect that.  We should require computer literacy only for students who
want it. But the number of students who do not want to be computer
literate, in most programs, is now very small.  The bigger obstacles, I
am afraid, are that some teachers are not comfortable in using
computers, and not comfortable in integrating technology in classroom
learning, and, of course, there are programs where computers are still
not accessible to students, and in some cases teachers.

When I visited Hamilton City ABLE in 1996, as part of a National
Institute for Literacy  Literacy Leader fellowship study, I talked with
students in your program who did not have access to a computer  
at home but who were accessing the World Wide Web at your program.   
Most said that they had never left Ohio, except maybe to go to Kentucky,
and that one of the most important things the World Wide Web did was
give them a chance to virtually travel the world.  That has stuck with
me, Millie.  I thank them for that insight; it was the insight that led
to my work with virtual field trips, virtual visits, and the
International Community Virtual Visit project. [ http://
alri.org/pubs/learnerfocusgroups.html  and http://alri.org/litlist/
webfieldtrips.html ]

Now, a decade later, the digital divide has significantly narrowed,  
but not for everyone.  Not for all students.   I think it's our job  
to help close that gap. We need to own the goal of computer literacy
-- and access to computers at home or work -- for all our students, and
not rest until we have the community commitment and resources to make
that goal a reality.  I see it as a justice and equity issue, like
reading, writing and numeracy.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net





On Oct 18, 2006, at 9:59 PM, KUTHFAM at aol.com wrote:


> In a message dated 10/18/2006 9:51:19 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 

> djrosen at comcast.net writes:

> Let me step out on a limb here.  I propose that every publicly-funded 

> adult literacy education program be required to teach computer 

> literacy to those who are not already comfortable and competent in 

> using a computer for basic applications like word processing, e-mail, 

> and information searching using a search engine.  That includes basic 

> literacy and basic ESL/ESOL students. (I would not insist that 

> computer literacy be exclusively in English.)

>

> That is, for most adult learners, computer literacy should be a 

> requirement.  Reactions?

>

> Teaching and/or requiring computer literacy is one thing. Having a 

> computer, using it and being comfortable with the technology is 

> another. Computer literacy only matters if the student has the 

> resources (i.e. computer, preferably at home) to use the skills.

> Computers at school and libraries for all practical purposes 

> (children, jobs home/work obligations) aren't available for our 

> students.

>

> What good is it to learn to drive if you don't have a car?

>

> Millie Kuth

> Hamilton City ABLE

> Hamilton OH 45011

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Technology and Literacy mailing list

> Technology at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

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