We're living in a strange new world. Being able to read, write and speak English is no longer good enough to survive in Singapore. So what if you've a University degree? So what if you're a Professional? - You're just not under the age of 30.
A couple of weeks ago, my 68-year-old uncle went to Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to apply for a social visit pass extension for a relative. My uncle is highly educated, is a Chartered Accountant and speaks Standard English. He had painstakingly downloaded and completed the forms from ICA's website and was in the queue before 8 a.m.
When it was his turn at the counter, he was told that he should make the application online. And with that, he was sent off. My husband intervened and asked, 'what if an applicant doesn't have a computer?'. He was told that there were terminals in the lobby of the building.
I fully understand the strive to be efficient and to reduce waiting time in queues, blah, blah. I'm sure ICA has valid reasons. Question is, how are we treating people e.g. who don't use computers? And if they don't have/use computers, how do they use the ones provided in the lobby?
I can't help but think about what was mentioned by Postman - "Cultures with weak traditions, high receptivity to new technologies, the people are inclined to be enthusiastic about technological change... People tend to believe benefits of technology will spread evenly among the entire population".
Perhaps we're living in such a society. And I really don't think the benefits of technology are spread evenly amongst us. Especially not for those born before 1980.
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Hi Brenda.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your observation - but I guess there's always room for us to turn a problem into an opportunity - a learning one.
As teachers, we always talk about (well, maybe I'm meaning 'I') students perhaps not knowing how to use computers for other purposes apart from games and msn etc.; we talk about a generation gap and the digital divide - perhaps not only between the 'have and the have-nots' but also between the 'know and the know-nots'; we talk about making our students more socially aware of those around them and I guess with Singapore's aging population, this would also include the elderly - what if one of us participating in this blog were in a position to influence MOE in the next few years - wouldn't it be possible to introduce and integrate a programme (since students already have to do Community Involvement Projects CIP) where the younger generation will help to teach the older generation (our senior and maybe not so senior citizens who have technology phobia) how to carry out these basic life skills (yes, I think we can consider knowing how to use the computer as one now).
Being hopeful and optimistic, I would like to envision that such a programme would help to build (at least some) bridges over the many oceans that divide our society.
Keep Positive - all is not lost!
de-knees
That's a great idea! Yes, I shall stay positive and together with my community - you and my other colleagues - we can help turn this digital divide situation around so that it'll indeed benefit most or at least, more people.
ReplyDeleteI think we can start now. As we work with our students, we can use digital divide as a topic as a platform for many activities - writing, debating, or even for critical thinking. Hee.. I'm already excited thinking about it.
Thanks again! Keep your bright ideas and thoughts coming!
Hi Brenda,
ReplyDeleteJust another thought....we could get our students to write instructional manuals on how to navigate and use a certain website - get them to include screen captures and graphics and distribute these to their parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, etc.
So that would give them a purpose, a target audience, it would cover procedural/instructional text types and they could get feedback not only from their teacher but also the users of the manual.