Digital Technology Will Benefit Students of Lower Income Families

Some citizens in Oak Ridge and some running for Board of Education have questioned the use of digital devices and technology by implying such uses would place an undue burden on the poor. While I can see this argument, I greatly disagree with it. The opposite is true!

The use of digital technology will benefit children of poorer families! Digital devices are an equalizer. While true, the argument that “iPads” break and books do not, is not very relevant in today’s global environment. Teaching and learning paradigms have changed. We can ignore the drift for awhile but today’s children learn faster using digital delivery, combined with structured traditional delivery. Don’t believe me? Take a visit to Ms Fuqua’s class at Linden.

We already live in a digital world. Even the technicians that came to repair our garage door and HCAV recently both used tools interfaced to tablets. It is not the future, it is now.

The use of digital technology will allow teachers to customize learning for students by their special/specific needs. It puts thousands of educational resources in front of a student. When I was young my family was poor by today’s standards. My parents sacrificed to buy a used set of World Books. They transformed my quest for knowledge. I spent hours reading about our world. Oh what I would have given for Google!

Technology, while it should never be the only tool, is key to improving learning abilities of slow learners and English Second Language students. Digital education has already had an impact on helping children of poor families. Again, I must stress it cannot replace the teacher, but is another tool that for provides more options for teachers and opens the door to vast amounts of information and technology for the student.

Some are caught in the weeds. One candidate at a recent forum even asked seniors to raise their hands if they learned with books. Of course they did! We are in a new era. “What happens when they break?” “How do you keep students from accessing adult content?” There are others and of course the big question, how do you pay for them. Several systems have obtained devices without tax increases. One district used Tax Ratification Election to procure 10,000 Chromebooks. Another district used a combination of grants and a cooperative agreement with a hardware maker. Some districts have used operating funds. Knox County has implemented one:one at two schools without a tax increase. As far as Oak Ridge I believe we can find sources of funding without a tax increase, and after we provide teachers with salary increases. As far as breakage, most districts charge a small insurance fee (about $30) but in Tennessee families are not required to pay if they cannot. Funding for those can come from private donations. OR Schools has already done considerable work on planning for most of the things the public has mentioned as concerns. At the town hall meeting on September 30th, Dr. Borchers said that work continues.

We hear that not all students will go to college. I agree with that! Learning by and learning to use digital technology is even more important for students that choose to pursue vocational and other career tracts rather than college. Industries today and those emerging will require workers with digital intelligence.

So in closing I ask each candidate for board of education, and each for city council, to not shut the down on our children. Oak Ridge can do this. Oak Ridge must do this. Not incorporating digital education will only hurt our poor children and slower learners, and will widen the educational divide between children of means.

Please, do the right thing!