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Closing The Digital Divide

Greg Norton argues that priority should be given to equitably deploying appropriate internet access throughout rural areas, rather than focusing on new technologies that only benefit some. He worked on a project to increase broadband access in rural parts of the country by scoping out the land and ensuring the proper equipment could be installed anywhere. While challenging, Norton says providing internet access is necessary for rural businesses to survive in today's technology-focused economy. Doug Johnson also discusses the importance of closing the digital divide by bringing more advanced technology to schools, such as using leased hotspots to provide internet access anywhere on school grounds, including on school buses.

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29 views

Closing The Digital Divide

Greg Norton argues that priority should be given to equitably deploying appropriate internet access throughout rural areas, rather than focusing on new technologies that only benefit some. He worked on a project to increase broadband access in rural parts of the country by scoping out the land and ensuring the proper equipment could be installed anywhere. While challenging, Norton says providing internet access is necessary for rural businesses to survive in today's technology-focused economy. Doug Johnson also discusses the importance of closing the digital divide by bringing more advanced technology to schools, such as using leased hotspots to provide internet access anywhere on school grounds, including on school buses.

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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Creating More Internet Access in Rural Areas

The President and CEO of Rural County Representatives of California, Greg Norton, said it
well when he stated: “Priority should be focused on an equitable deployment of appropriate level
services throughout the state, not on the next big thing for the fortunate few.” In an article he
wrote titled ​Empower Local Communities to Close the Digital Divide​, Norton brought to the
reader’s attention what exactly should be the focus with emerging technologies. While some of
us are making strides to close the digital divide, others are developing newer technologies and
more advanced electronics that widen the chasm of accessibility. One of Norton’s projects was
to increase the amount of available broadband to people in more rural parts of the country. This
would involve scoping out the land and making sure that the proper equipment and resources
were able to be installed and connected, regardless of location. Although Norton understands
that this is by no means an easy task, he justifies its necessity by pointing out the gravity of the
situation; the businesses without access to more recent technology have no chance of surviving
in the economical climate of technological super-giants.

https://cafwd.org/reporting/entry/empower-local-communities-to-close-the-digital-divide

Bringing more Technology into Schools

Making internet access available everywhere, including in the home, is quite the task. Luckily,
there are those like Doug Johnson who are illuminating pathways to get started in the right
direction. In his article ​Power Up! / Helping to Close the Digital Divide​, Johnson discusses the
need for more advanced technology in schools. I am sure that the vast majority of the
population can agree that technology has helped bridge the gap between educational resources
being difficult or even impossible to possess, to being accessible from virtually everywhere.
Unless families are extremely isolated in the wilderness, children will most likely be able to
access a school in the United States. With that being said, the technology available to students
varies from school to school, and more still when it comes to a student’s home-life. While the
world is still working on a way for students to have access to the internet at home to complete
their daily homework assignments and instructional resources, schools have the ability to
update their resources using public funding. Johnson mentions that schools have utilized
“leased hotspots,” allowing any student with credentials to access the internet while on school
grounds. This includes not only inside the classroom but also in other parts of the school
grounds. Another way to expand access for schools is to install hotspots on the school buses,
thus turning them into "rolling study halls" for students.

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb15/vol72/num05/Helping-to-Close-th
e-Digital-Divide.aspx

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