E-Learning Foundation Says Poor Children Don't Have Access To Internet At Home

[pl1]

http://www.metro.co....ess-to-computer

In a new study by the E-Learning Foundation, a digital education charity, it was also discovered that a further two million kids can't get on the internet in their house.

Those from poorest families are hit hardest, as the organisation found these homes to be two-and-a-half-times less likely to have the internet than children from the richest backgrounds.The foundation's chief executive Valerie Thompson said that so many children are given plenty of gifts over the Christmas period but people must continue to reflect on the fact that too many youngsters live in poverty around the UK.She continued: 'For those at school, this translates into very tangible disadvantages when it comes to completing homework, researching topics, independent learning, and communicating with teachers and classmates on the school learning platform.'

Without a computer with the internet, this attainment gap measured by the E-Learning Foundation that characterises children from low income families will only get worse, she added.The E-Learning Foundation's objective is to make sure every school-age child in Britain has access to a computer with an internet connection at home. There has been no official response from the government on the recent statistics.

Whenever I've seen friends kids on the Internet at home they are always on Youtube or looking at X-Factor or some such. I don't think I can ever recall a time where they were doing homework. I'm guessing when they do it's a condensed essay based on a Wikipedia article, so presumably many of the written assignments handed in today are the same piece?

The Internet was heralded in the late 90's as this wonderful learning resource, but now I'm not so sure it's not just one big waste of time for kids. I was also depressed reading the thread from a year ago about Labours "laptop for every child" and many posters believing it was unfair or the child wouldn't get access to it/it would just end up on Ebay.

edit: please merge with Sarah Bells (thread title wasn't obvious it was about same topic)

Edited December 28, 2010 by pl1