The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) today initiated an online petition urging the White House to take action to invest in school broadband connectivity to bridge the digital divide in education. According to Education SuperHighway, only 13 percent of schools have the broadband they need to give students the same online access that most Americans have at home, work, or even in a coffee shop, the association notes in its announcement of the petition.
“Digital learning resources are playing a huge role in personalizing instruction and empowering students to develop the critical thinking, collaboration, communication and digital citizenship skills needed today and in the rapidly changing world we live in,” says ISTE CEO Brian Lewis, in the petition. “But for all students to benefit from the promise of this digital transformation, all students need access. We must accelerate our investment in school bandwidth connectivity.”
If ISTE’s petition reaches 100,000 signatures by May 1, 2013, the White House will respond.
About Karyn M. Peterson
I think devloping broadband infrastucture, and rebuilding much of the United States should be a top priority for the administration. It’s an economic and political mistake to not push for this investment.