Staying current in a fastly digitizing world, schools are turning to technology companies for donations of equipment, often in exchange for advertising and increased sales for the company. Some experts feel that the educational issues are not being addressed thoroughly in deciding what technology is helpful.

"If you compare the rich environment of play with trustworthy persons, with the environment supplied by computers, the computer is an impoverished realm," said TC Professor Douglas Sloan. Arguments that companies are closing the digital divide, according to Sloan, is "just a selling point and plays on parental fears that their children will be left behind. It's exploiting the children. These companies don't have their education at heart."

The article, entitled "Computers in Schools: Exploitation or Education?" appeared in the April 5th edition of Fox News.

When possible, the News Bureau provides a link to the articles and a link is always provided to the online source. Not all online sources archive information and some charge a fee for older material.

Published Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2001