Many more white children use
the Internet than Latino and black students, a reminder that going online is
hardly a way of life for everyone.
Two of every three white
students — 67 percent — use the Internet, but less than half of blacks and
Latinos do, according to federal data released Tuesday. For Latinos, the figure
is 44 percent; for blacks, it's 47 percent.
"This creates incredible
barriers for minorities," said Mark Lloyd, a senior fellow at the Center for
American Progress and an analyst on how communications influence civil
rights.
Not using the Internet
"narrows their ability to even think about the kind of work they can be doing,"
Lloyd said. "It doesn't prepare them for a world in which they're going to be
expected to know how to do these things."
|
DiversityInc Bookstore |
|
|
The AMA Handbook of E-Learning - Effective Design Implementation and Technology Solutions
This authoritative sourcebook is a timely tool for companies
making the transition to (or already using) e-learning. Featuring
all-original contributions from high-profile practitioners,
the book reveals how top companies are implementing and using
this crucial employee development tool.
For More Information
|
|
The new data come from
the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm
of the Education Department.
It is based on a national
survey of households in 2003.
Overall, 91 percent of
students in nursery school through 12th grade use computers; 59 percent use the
Internet.
Within those numbers, the
digital divide between groups is a national concern.
Studies have shown that
access and ability to use the Internet help improve people's learning, job
prospects and daily living.
Schools have taken steps
to close the gaps.
Virtually all
U.S. schools are connected to the
Internet. The gaps in Internet usage between whites and minorities, though
sizable, are smaller during the school day.
That's not the case at
home.
Some 54 percent of white
students use the Internet at home, compared with 26 percent of Latino and 27
percent of black youngsters. Limited access at home can erode a student's
ability to research assignments, explore college scholarships or just get
comfortable going online.
Among other
findings:
•Household income, parent
education and whether the home has two parents all correlate with higher
computer and Internet use.
•Public-school students
are more likely than private school students to use both computers and the
Internet.
•The gender gap in
computer use has all but disappeared; girls are as likely as boys to use the
Internet.
Kids use the Internet most often
for completing school assignments, the new study says.
But they also count on it
for e-mail, sending instant messages and playing games.
The racial divide in
computer usage is tied to broader problems, including poverty in black and
Latino communities, Lloyd said.
Among other students, 58 percent
of Asian-American children and 47 percent of Native American students use the
Internet. (AP)
|
DiversityInc Bookstore |
by
Jorge Ramos
|
The Other Face of America - Chronicles of the Immigrants Shaping Our Future
Ramos shows the new face of the country by telling stories of immigrants who decided to change their lives and risk everything the opportunities in America.
For More
Information |
More from Today's Diversity News
<< PREVIOUS
ITEM
Send Your Comments About This Article Now
©DiversityInc. Reproduction in any format is absolutely prohibited.
digg this | 
mixx! | 
reddit
del.icio.us
Newsvine
