Economic forces that impinge on education
can include the availability of resources such as computers and the net. This
availability of these resources can be at times linked to a persons economic
status such as where you live, who your parents are and what they do.
- RESOURCES
“The Digital Education Revolution (DER)
aims to contribute sustainable and meaningful change to teaching and learning
in Australian schools that will prepare students for further education,
training and to live and work in a digital world.” (Australian Government;
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, accessed 30/09/12)
It has become very common in recent years
for schools to provide increased computer and Internet access to their
students, in the form of either their own individual laptop or a higher number
of school computers available to students. With the ever increasing use of
technology in current times, it has become necessary for schools to not only
teach students content knowledge of subjects but to incorporate the use of ICT
in the classroom and ensure younger generations are up to date with current
technology, as it now plays a large role in society. This digital revolution began
in 1990 with the Methodist Ladies College in Melbourne being the first school to
implement the program. While the government has provided funding for this
revolution, economic issues such as how much money you can afford to pay for
your education still play a vital role in students access to these resources.
- ECONOMIC
STATUS
Not every student in Australia is issued
with his or her very own laptop and there are still many schools that do not
have equal resources when it comes to computer and internet access. A persons
economic status plays a vital role in their childs access to these resources.
Many wealthy people can afford to provide their children with top of the range
laptops and high speed internet access, whilst some struggling parents cannot
afford these resources for their children. Despite government funding in this
area there is still a significant gap between some schools and this has an impact
on the quality of education students' receive. It was stated by The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd and Minister for
Education, Julia Gillard, that every student would have a computer without
financial pressure being put on parents to pay for these resources. However,
some schools have had to start charging fees to parents for the use of these
computers due to the government not taking into consideration added costs such
as software and insurance costs. This in turn provides a disadvantage for
students whose families cannot economically afford the additional costs of
providing computers for their children.
“A PUBLIC school is asking parents to
pay up to $1460 to lease computers provided under Kevin Rudd's digital schools
plan, while another is urging parents to buy the Apple Mac laptops their child
has used for $1200.”
Article available at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/schools-levy-for-kevin-rudds-laptop-plan/story-e6frg6n6-1225820610952
accessed 1/10/12
“AT LEAST one Queensland school is
charging parents up to $250 a year to use the computers promised under Kevin
Rudd's much-vaunted laptops-in-schools program.”
Article available at http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/labors-school-laptops-cost-a-packet/story-e6freomx-1226065981922
accessed 1/10/12
These articles represent the economic issues associated with the governments proposal and outline how this can cause a disadvantage to a students education.
REFERENCES
REFERENCES
Australian Government; Department of
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
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