On paper, the objective of education is to help everyone increase their knowledge and develop their skills to help them prosper every day in society. However, in reality the education system has been used for more than 200 years by governments to control our society in many ways. Such as influencing our levels of thinking, creativity, ability to innovate, our knowledge, social classes, ethnicity, history, etc. This directly correlates with the philosophy of who has the knowledge, has the power. It had created a huge imbalance in society under legal circumstances sponsored by the policies of our government, which has not benefitted the majority or people in our communities. We see this imbalance from racial segregation and gender discrimination in the United States, along with the rest of the world.

 

Today, from my point of view, all of those circumstances continue with different names, tendencies, and forms; becoming more evident in low-income populations, minorities, and first-generation citizens. For example, the quality of service in a high schools depends on financial situation, affecting the school dropout rate. To reach a bachelor’s degree as a member of a disadvantaged family is so difficult, mainly because college is costly (tuition, dormitory, food, textbooks, technology, etc.), leading students to fall into the hands of big bank corporations through students loans and credit cards, [students] who are unable to keep up with their payments for many years after graduating. These are forms to segregate society too, to limit access for a better education and other privileges.  

 

Throughout history, the education system has become a strategic battle of social classes with unequal competition, predator and prey. However, the implementation of internet as a global network has been historical for the impact on culture, education, communication, technology, and languages to many vulnerable communities around the world, especially in urban areas, who can access it. Hundreds of young people live with no hope for a better future than the one they are given; learning math, science, reading, writing, new skills, hoping for better opportunities. With access to the internet, they strive to learn, no matter the limitation.

 

The digitalization of education is an ongoing trend of the present and future in the US and the world. The fight against inequality for education is the most crucial way to help people get out of poverty in order to have better standards of life. Obviously, the pattern of social classes will continue, on the internet and off of it. Corporations who have power will opt for regulations and try to limit the internet by adding tariffs and special fees/taxes. The free academic websites now could affect children if those specific sites were charged, along with costs for online education. However, [corporations] they have less control than decades before with books. Internet in new generations will help visualize, develop, enrich, and expand student potential and maybe in a future, where the education system is drastically changed into something more relevant and applicable to the necessity of global demand.

 

As a teacher in a Title One school, my role is to promote a collaborative workplace environment to empower learners in different levels with constant experimentation, innovation, and creativity according to each individual learning style, anywhere, at any time. Nevertheless, methodologies, standards, and strategies will be confronted with frequent data analysis to refine the process for rapid development and growth of learners on a digital path. On the other hand, teachers need to meet significant professional developments to identify emerging trends in learning and translate it into material for learners. More times than less, students excel in the usage of technology more than teachers. Finally, if schools do not incorporate their community in their vision for learning, it is more difficult to reach the objective without a supportive family body for digital education, especially in disadvantaged communities.