Technology Digital Divide Brazil and Maryland
Comparison of Technological Digital Divide Data
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Brazil |
Maryland |
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Digital Divide is a major barrier. Sixty-five percent of Brazilians over ten years of age do not have Internet access. [2] |
Digital Divide remains a barrier to true universal access to and use of technology in rural areas.[3] |
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Brazil suffers from issues dealing with poor infrastructure and insufficient electricity and telephone lines. |
Maryland's most impoverished schools remain below average in access to technology and Internet connectivity. There is a lack of computers in homes of low-income students.[3] |
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Lack of computers in schools and homes contribute to the digital divide in Brazil, especially in poorer neighborhoods. |
Impoverished schools lag further behind when it comes to the actual use of technology, even though Maryland has made great improvements in technology infrastructure to provide access.[3] |
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In poorer northeastern Brazil only 25% of the people access the Internet compared to 40% in southeastern Brazil.[2]
In 2007, 59% of Brazilians had never accessed the Interent or used a computer. This would include low-income inner city students. [1]
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Students in wealthier communities are two to three times more likely to use technology for more complex, challenging tasks than their counterparts in schools in poorer communities. Must focus on students using technology to learn content.[3] |
In an interview with a representative of Brazil by Gareth Mitchell of BBC News, it was stated that "59% of Brazillians have never accessed the Interent or used a computer;" therefore, the digital inclusion program was created to assists student with technology. The digital inclusion program finds ways of providing technology training to students and citizens in Brazil; one of which was the classroom-on-wheels program.
"The Eastern Shore of Maryland remains predominantly rural with many poor families enrolling children in public schools. If our nation and Maryland truly intend to leave “no child behind,” including rural children of poverty, then it is critical that the problems of the rural Eastern Shore of Maryland be understood and that a commitment be made to do whatever it takes to meet the basic and unique needs of rural children (Eastern Shore Superintendents, p. 16)." This also applies to the technology needs and digital divide.
Even though Brazil and Maryland have made great strides in addressing the digital divide, there is still work to do. “Technology on the Move,” a mobile classroom to assist in providing technology to rural areas such as Dorchester and Somerset counties in Eastern Shore Maryland and surrounding areas is one alternative method to assist with the technology digital divide.
1. BBC News, 2008, p.1
2. Chages, C. 2009, p.1
3. Maryland State Department of Education, p.2
