Low end computers now-a-days are really quite inexpensive. They cost about $300 to $500 including the monitor. Additionally, most universities that require a computer also have computer leasing programs. A least may cost less than $20 per month.
e-Learning is also another reason why computers are required. Many of the schools require home work to be submitted via e-Learn systems, such as Blackboard and WebCT. If the student does not have a computer, it would be very hard for him/her to do their home work and submit their papers. Universities have to figure out how to use their technology budgets. As the requirement of specialized computer labs increases, the budget for public computer labs decreases. These specialized computer labs touches almost every discipline on campus. Schools have to decide how to spend their money. If they don't have these specialized computer equipped labs, students will go to another school that has them. As a result, they are forced to use their Technology budget to furnish these labs. Sam Young Director of IT La Sierra University [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Thomas A Webb Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 4:10 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Mandatory Laptop computers If the school is in fact using that policy as a means for withdrawing on-campus support, I totally agree that it's a bad policy. Expecting people that are holding down jobs and in many cases looking after small children and often having transportation issues to truck themselves to the campus to access computers is also a bad policy, in my opinion. Many of the students here in Pueblo county are miles away from the campus in a small city that has pathetic public transportation. Many are living on welfare and don't have the means to get to the campus in the evenings, since the pathetic bus system doesn't run after 6:00pm. Those people get left behind if the only access they have is on-campus, or in a public library that is just as inaccessible. I think this issue gets serious when you aren't in a metropolitan area and have a large low-income population. Lots of people find themselves on the outside, looking in. Jacqueline A. Morris wrote: > I think the relevant skills can be developed with the use of public access > computers on campus. The requirement for "computer ownership" is designed to > shift the burden of providing the facilities for learning from the > institution to the student. What will be next? Removing the books from the > library as it is too expensive to maintain, and we can find out everything > online (on our shiny new expensive laptop) for a fee? > ________________________________________ > Jacqueline Morris > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > www.jacquelinemorris.com > _________________________________________ > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Thomas A Webb > Sent: Wednesday, 01 September 2004 03:05 > To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group > Subject: Re: [DDN] Mandatory Laptop computers > > I taught in community colleges for over thirty years before I retired. I > agree with the requirement for college students to have a computer; it's a > little wierd to think you can get a good education and be hireable without > having basic skills and using them routinely. > > <snip> > I think a more informed policy would be one that includes home desktop > computers, speaks to document interchange and permits the use of recycled > equipment would work a LOT better. > > Debbie Podwika wrote: > >>"Let's make college even less affordable! Unless financial aid covers >>up to the full cost depending on income, this is simply another way to >>make a college education less affordable on top of tuition increases, >>the high cost of books, and limits to financial aid." >> > > ...snip..... > -- > Thomas A Webb > http://www.ospueblo.com - Open Source and Educational Resources > http://wordwonder.com - For Readers and Thinkers > > _______________________________________________ > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. > > _______________________________________________ > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. > > -- Thomas A Webb http://www.ospueblo.com - Open Source and Educational Resources http://wordwonder.com - For Readers and Thinkers _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
