DIFFERENTIAL INSTRUCTION USING THE INTERNET

Differential Instruction using the Internet



Differential Instruction using the Internet

In recent years, the Internet has influenced the K-12 educational system in a number of informal and formal ways. Teachers and students increasingly utilize the Internet to communicate with one another, to research and prepare classroom assignments, and to schedule extracurricular activities, as well as for a variety of other purposes. Schools have used the Internet for online instruction for both regular and nontraditional students, as well as for other purposes that include school administration and teacher training. Government funding plays a role in making the Internet accessible, especially for less-advantaged schools and students. Although there are some questions about the pedagogical effectiveness of the Internet, many educators and scholars agree that Internet use in education is indispensable in the context of an emerging knowledge economy. A familiarity with computers and the Internet is essential for tomorrow's information workers, and such training in schools is a vital input into individual empowerment and national competitiveness.

Internet access can be differentiated according to the location of use. Children and adolescents access the Internet principally from home and school; other popular options are friends' homes, public libraries, and community centers. In 2005, nearly all American public schools and 93% of classrooms had Internet access; in comparison, three out of four American homes were connected to the Internet. Despite the greater prevalence of Internet access in schools, surveys show that children and adolescents are more likely to access the Internet from home.

We can also distinguish between different types of Internet access based on the means of delivery, speed, and quality of connectivity. Low-speed dial-up connections permit only a restricted set of services to be made available to users: e-mail, bulletin boards, and web browsing, for example. High-speed digital subscriber loops (DSL) and cable modems provide access to additional, high-bandwidth services such as peer-to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, and streaming audio and video. Thus, the type of connection affects the range of services that children and adolescents can access over the Internet. In 2005, the vast majority of schools had broadband connectivity, and a significant number also have wi-fi networks available on school premises. In comparison, approximately half the households with Internet access are estimated to have broadband connectivity today.

Despite dramatic growth in Internet penetration in recent years, a “digital divide” still exists, principally along the dimensions of poverty and race. Children in poor families were less likely to have computer and Internet access at home. Similarly, poor school districts were likely to have fewer computers per 100 students, and fewer classrooms wired for Internet access. Racial minorities, especially African Americans, were also less likely to have Internet access at home, even after controlling for income and education. In 2005, about 13% of teenagers did not access the Internet from any location.

Children and adolescents with Internet access reported using it for a variety of purposes, with schoolwork figuring among the top. In Pew Foundation surveys, children reported using the Internet to find ...