Income inequality and the lack of technological awareness is proven to have a profound effect on the instruction of literacy. The problems arise due to under-equipped schools, teachers who avoid integrating technology into their lesson plans, or students who come from impoverished backgrounds all contribute to the achievement gap for literacy. Schools that are not adequately funded have a difficult time providing quality instruction to its students. To keep up with such a technologically advanced world, more emphasis must be placed on digital education. The characteristics of 21st century learning dictate that technology be present and accessible to students in every learning community; however, when schools lack the resources to provide quality instruction, it affects whether or not student learning needs are being fully met. According to the article, Obama has launched an initiative to modernize and upgrade the Internet …show more content…
Teachers are reluctant to integrate technology into their lesson plans. For schools that are adequately funded and equipped with the latest technology, using the tools should not be a problem; however, very few of those teachers are actually using them. Most of the teachers in low income schools neglect the use of technology because they are too focused on “teaching the test”. Test scores determine the quality of a school’s instruction. When test scores fall, schools work tirelessly to increase scores by working to improve student performance. Some teachers also lack the necessary knowledge for the use of technological tools, which causes them to avoid using them altogether. It is imperative that teachers receive professional development on digital technology to better serve the learning needs of our students. Teachers that work for affluent schools use the interactive whiteboards as intended but teachers in lower income schools use them as traditional