How Business Can Save Schools From The Digital Divide; Forbes, 1/29/14

Debra Donston-Miller, Forbes; How Business Can Save Schools From The Digital Divide:

"Too many U.S. public schools are dealing with a new kind of digital divide — where the technology available in many students’ homes, and even in their pockets, is several generations ahead of what’s available in the classroom. This gap has big implications for the future. “A well-trained workforce is essential to economic growth and competitiveness, and the skills of the entire workforce depend critically on the educational foundation established during the K-12 school years,” states the paper “Unleashing the Potential of Educational Technology,” from the Executive Office of the President, Council of Economic Advisers...

As technology becomes more and more entwined with the personal lives of even the youngest students, many schools are adopting the BYOD (bring-your-own-device)model. By embracing BYOD, schools that don’t have the resources for a robust infrastructure can enable (if not actually provide for) the use of updated technologies. Of course, even with students bringing their own devices to school, there is still the need for servers, security software, wireless infrastructure and training.

That’s where businesses can come in. Companies have the means and the know-how to support the technology needs of K-12 schools, and any investment in time and money will pay off in future human capital dividends — the students that businesses support now may become their future skilled employees."