"Technology and Literacy: A Story about the Perils of Not Paying Attention"

In this essay about how in today's society computers are becoming a more important tool in the everyday classroom. In today's world we like to have the best of both worlds and this is the case in the everyday classroom that we will encounter in the future. With having access to computers we will be able to have them available for our own studies, for support in our classes and profession, but to a negative aspect we have begun to regard these technologies into the background of our teaching lives.

The quote that is important is that during the Clinton-Gore administration is when they published a document called the "Getting America's Children Ready for the Twenty-First Century" in which they announced that their was a program underway to expand technological literacy. One of the quotes that was harvested from the text was that "they wanted the ability to use computers and other technology to improve learning, productivity and performance" (page 416, Technology and Literacy, By Cynthia L. Selfe). The purpose of this program was to make sure that students are technology literate in which this refers to meaning that to use computers not only for it's rudimentary purposes but also for reading, writing, and communicating.

The term that is essential to this article is the word "technology" (page 412, Technology and Literacy, By Cynthia L. Selfe). The reason that this term is essential to this article is because this resource is becoming ever more important in today's classroom setting. Their has been a direct correlation between technology and literacy. One of the key components is that 70% of the jobs out their are now requiring a B.A. degree or further along with requirements for using computers. 89% of teachers and the public believe that the Internet (technology) adds to the value and learning that students will receive. Finally, 86% of parents believe that computer (technology) is one of the greatest investments that you can afford a child.

One of the main issues with this article however has to deal with the fact that schools that have served students of color have less than sophisticated computer equipment than do the schools that primarily are serving more affluent and white students. Students of color and poor students continue to have less availability to Internet, less multimedia equipment, less access to CD-ROM equipment, local area networks, and video disc technology.

By the above statement it shows that without these available technologies that students of color and of less affluent make-up aren't afforded the same opportunity to gain an education that is enriched with technology, thus giving these students the privilege of being able to gain access to technology rich jobs and economic prosperity after they graduate.