Access and Technology

Technology and Community College Access

 In a society increasingly shaped by technology, students who are constrained by time and place, or are otherwise disadvantaged, are being left behind (Matthews, 1999).  According to Moore (2002), “Access [to higher education] was originally thought of as the ability to gain entrance to an institution or program.  The concept gradually shifted from one of equity in admissions to equity in outcomes, or the ability of a student or group of students to succeed once admitted” (Moore, 2002).  

The Digital Divide Personified   

New users of technology usually exhibit four stages of readiness to access and use educational technology.  The first stage is recognizing that technology could enhance the efficiency, productivity, or quality of their personal and professional lives.  The second stage is becoming open to learning about information technology and learning to apply hardware and software to the task at hand.  In the third stage, users seek physical access to an appropriate technological infrastructure.  In stage four, users actively follow through on the decision to use technology (Watson, 2004).

Personal Thoughts

I think that we will see significant growth in distance education within the CC in the future.  I observe my grandchildren and how computer usage is being implemented in their learning process.  They should have an advantage to enroll in DE courses without any hinders.  I think of my children when they were in K-12 and how computers were not implemented in their education until junior high school.  They have a foundation to understand the basics, and an understanding on how to research required information.  As for my generation, the area of technology we were exposed to in high school was the electric typewritten.  Some of us are more at a disadvantage than others.  If we have not learned beyond what we learned in high school we will have access issues. 

Figure 1

Matthews, D. (1999).  The Origins of Distance Education and Its Use in the United
     States: Technological Horizons in Education Journal, 27(2), 54–67.

Moore, P. L. (2002).  Access and Success in Web Courses at an Urban Multicultural 
     Community College: The Student’s Perspective.  Unpublished research report,
     Northern Arizona University, (ED 465 402) 

Watson, L. (2004).  New Directions for Community Colleges: Access and 
     Technology. no. 128 (pp. 31-37).  doi: 10.1002/cc.172

A cartoonist's take on educational inequality! #SEN. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2015,
     from http://www.mobypicture.com/user/TSfocus/view