Thought Questions

6. Did you have a computer in your home as you were growing up? If so, how did it influence your education to this point? If not, how did the right of everyone to have access to technology?

I did have a computer at home while I was growing up it was one of the old models of IBM that runs on a windows 95 platform. It really did influence me in the education because back then I would sit down and play with paint which is a sign of creativity. I also learned how to use the different Microsoft Office programs which is an important skill to have in typing these days. Having a computer back them allows you to type better in many different ways because you are used to using the keyboard. If I didn't have a computer I won't be this interested in studying the wonders of computer because getting to see how fast computers are growing inspires you to learn and know what computers really do. I would have not master the skill of using creativity of reading and writing stuff because a home computer means that you have free time and you are able to spend time learning by yourself rather than doing something that is not productive at home.

7. The digital divide puts those who have access to technology on one side and those who do not on the other side. Do yo feel that it is the right of everyone to have access to technology?

I think people should have the rights to technology, but it depends on the user itself because if the user is not willing to take in that technology its basically up to the person. Having the right for everyone to have technology is really good because the world will be more connected due to the amazing things that technology has brought to us. Technology allows us to have a huge basic comfort in our life that does so many things to us. With technology we are able to communicate, and enjoy many different entertainment systems that we do daily. I think it is good to keep everybody up on the technology trend, but as I said above it depends on the user themselves if they are willing to accept the technology or not.

8. I will cost a great deal of money to erase the digital divide. Who do you think should be responsible for paying the cost?

The question really does depend on the government themselves, because almost every government has been corrupt throughout the history of the humans. If the government has not been corrupt I think they would be able to erase this huge divide. These particular people should pay a particular technological company to provide the digital things for us, so they would be able to safe a lot of money using one particular technology. The government has the most money and the taxes we pay need to be refunded with technology.

9. Having access to technology is not enough; people must be taught to use the technology they have. How would you define computer literacy for each of the following groups of people?
a. High school students in an industrialized country
b. Kindergarten teachers in an industrialized country
c. College graduates in an industrialized country
d. Students in sub-Saharan Africa
e. College graduates in sub-Saharan Africa
f. Government officials in the Andes

a. The high school students have a basic understanding of using a computer they are able to use it efficiently for entertainment and school purposes, but they lack the understanding of what really is happening inside the computer. They are just a basic user that understands the purpose of the computer.

b. Kindergarten teachers know the basic of using a computer in which they are able to teach young students on what to do with the computer. These teacher also don't know what the real computer is like on how it functions but they are just a basic user and a teacher on how to use it.

c. College graduates will have a solid understanding of the computer in which they will know the main components and a bit more about the computers function depending on their major. College graduates will have more understandings than high school students, but have little understandings about how the computer really is.

d. Students here probably don't have a home computer or a pc but they know what it is because they have seen one or they might have one at school. Their knowledge about computers is very limited because their country is poor, in which they might only know how to do basic things like moving the mouse.

e. College graduates will have a better understanding than the students in which they might know how to use the computer for emails and doing work but may have struggles with the computer. They have no idea on how the real computer really is having the codes.

f. Government officials in the Andes probably have basic understandings of the computer but they have struggles in using it for sure because in places like mountains they would have like less than 10 computers so they might not be professional in using computers.