This is definitely not the state of higher education in America, but it would be accurate to say that almost every educational institution is in some phase of building a technology infrastructure. While there are numerous examples of colleges and universities that have employed innovative ways of incorporating technology into their courses, implementation of campus-wide use of new learning technologies has been as slow as downloading an Internet page full of heavy graphics at midday.
Some educators question whether a digital divide really exists.
Still others call the digital divide the most compelling and far-reaching social issue of our time. They cross safely to the side of technological literacy unaware of any dangerous pitfall. National statistics reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce indicate that students who have crossed the divide live in connected households and residence halls. According to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, people who have attended college are three times more likely to own a computer and nearly five times more likely to have Internet access than those whose education did not advance beyond high school. For university presidents, the numbers paint stark pictures and should make us realize the importance of higher education's role in eliminating the digital divide.