Computer literacy is an extremely necessary asset for a substantial number of today's employment opportunities. Since computer technology will undoubtedly continue its rapid possession of both established and newer corporations and companies, computer literacy is a high priority of anyone expecting to apply for a job even with meager qualifications. It is both ironic and difficult to believe that California, one of the wealthiest and best technologically developed states of the U.S., is both suffering and lacking in the preparation of its youth in these very fields. Naturally it would seem less bizarre and conspicuous in a less developed state (technology-wise), but it is disappointing in a state home to such monster computer corporations as Intel and Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, as well as others, many of which began the computer revolution. Unbelievably, California ranks a lowly 48th on the list of states determined by the ratio of computers to students, set at a measly average of one computer to every 19 students. Schools across the nation average 39 students to every computer with a hard drive.
It is a sad fact that many students are denied computer education at a large percentage of Orange County school districts, and almost certainly in other less-developed districts throughout the United States. This issue is a definite problem in students' preparation to apply for jobs in which only computer-literate applicants will be accepted. An investigation undertaken by a division of Congress revealed that the majority of schools nationwide were not equipped with the proper technological supplies to take full advantage of the new technology, as well as prepare students for jobs in the 21st century. Students are lacking in an essential compound, disabling them in completing job applications in a confident manner, being unequipped with the necessary computer skills to undergo the appropriate tasks. The Children's Partnership, a Santa Monica non-profit organization, reported to the Orange County Register that only one in five students nationwide will graduate with the computer skills needed to fill 60% of the jobs created in the next few years.
Many O.C. schools teach with fair or good academic standards, but few have incorporated computers into their teaching agendas and, if so, many are old and incapable of processing newer applications, and are therefore practically of no help whatsoever. A common question raised is: "Why can't students obtain decent computer exposure at home?" They most certainly can, but the fact is that two of every three students derive this exposure from school computers, rather than receiving it at home. Several schools of Orange, such as Centralia (a newly developed O.C. high school), have allowed computers an appropriate place in the academic schedule. Many other schools in the Orange County school district hope to supply current computer technology to the attending students, but are restricted because of incredibly low government funding. As an undoubtedly essential research tool to students nationwide, the Internet links students with the necessary advantage over others who lack the proper funding and equipment to gain access to the Information Superhighway. Several schools employ the Internet and encourage students to use the facilities in order to access information on school projects and other fascinations they might have.
Students attending such schools as Jefferson Elementary in Orange are lacking in current computer equipment; rather, the students share old, shabby machines for about an hour each week which, as reported by the Orange County Register, are often about as old as the students themselves. The majority of schools in the nation, despite the new reign of technology, still teach typing skills on typewriters due to computer shortages. Instead of employing computer technology to distribute and compute borrowed library books and library inventories, Jefferson still checks out the books manually, the same old way it did when the campus opened in 1950. As the Register so precisely stated, these poor classroom facilities trap the students in a "technological time warp." On the bright side, however, the Register also reports that the Clinton administration is currently working on a $2 billion dollar plan in order to upgrade public classrooms and bring these schools online.
However, government funding hasn't recently been coming through. An alternate solution to the country's computer shortage involves nonprofit organizations headed by both the Detwiler Foundation in San Diego and the Computer Recycling Center situated in Mountain View. These various foundations function by fixing or "recycling" broken-down computers donated by corporations and other establishments. The working computers are then donated to public schools around the nation; one computer is donated for every one computer the school obtains on its own. As a fairly huge goal, the foundation hopes to bring California from 48th in the nation screaming up into 1st place. This is quite a large bound, and would involve a ratio of one computer to every eight students, as opposed to the current 19 to one. Divisions of this foundation include the California Department of Corrections, which has provided 50 refurbished computers to Sacramento city schools. Other means of refurbishing computers is laid in the capable hands of the California State Prison inmates at Folsom. The inmates of this and three other institutions have renovated 1,339 computers; 800 of these have been shipped to schools. Together, the Detwiler foundation has received 13,000 computers, 6,000 of which have been refurbished and placed in a variety of the needy 1,300 public/non-profit schools.
The Detwiler foundation encourages both large and small businesses to donate old or out-of-date computer systems. Recipients are encouraged to check up on the types of computers donated in order to ensure that each donation is put to good use. In such situations the solution to the problem is mutual. Schools receive a new shipment of computers, students prosper in their education, and donors rid themselves of old computers insufficient for their business needs, in addition to gaining a speedy new one, a tax deduction, a warm thank-you note and a smile.
To read more about the computer shortage and its consequences, visit these sites:
List of Articles About the Computers for Schools Program