WHERE THE MONEY IS, AND WHERE THE REAL NEEDS ARE

EDUC 391X WEEK 1
For the next ten weeks I will be posting my reflections about my EDUC 391X class in here. These reflections will be about themes discussed in class, and/or ideas that might spring into my mind based on what I learn through my participation in this course.

This was our first class meeting, and therefore we had to cover basic housekeeping information. I will not go into that, but I will mention a theme that was of particular interest to me.

Although we did have an opportunity to view course projects done by former LDT students, and got a pretty good feeling for what kinds of projects are appropriate, my interest was particularly peaked by the notion that funding does not always go necessarily to where the need is greatest.

WHERE THE MONEY IS, AND WHERE THE REAL NEEDS ARE
In one example Dr. Kim mentioned the difference between where the money is, and where the real needs are. This is an important subject, because when one looks at this question and tries to answer it candidly one cannot help but be confronted with the reality of inequality and how certain populations are kept in a perpetual state of poverty and disarray. Under the current paradigm, we educate the wealthy and we train the poor at best. This is how we end up with the George W. Bush’s of the world.

The advent of computers and the Internet have the potential to revolutionize the world by allowing access and equity in education to millions of people who would otherwise be kept in the dark. It is true that proper methods and careful choice of technologies must be used to address a well defined and specific problem, but that’s why some of us are here at Stanford, taking on that big loan, so that we can learn how to effectively make an impact in education here in the United States, and in the world at large.

The course’s focus on the use web technologies to empower the vulnerable is of particular interest to me. Coming from an underprivileged background I have my own biases. However, putting my proclivities aside, many will agree that we all have a stake in social justice and that empowering the un-empowered can have a positive impact on society at large.

Again, we can turn a blind eye and continue to have a perpetual working class and continue to send males of certain ethnic backgrounds into the prison pipeline, or we can educate the masses and bring forth all the genius that exists within the untapped potential of the marginalized.

Some of us may choose to be activists and participate in heated debates or political rallies in the name of social justice. Others might turn a blind eye to the status quo and selectively perceive the world around us, and yet others choose to create opportunities by embracing technology, and making alliances with like-minded individuals from all backgrounds to create professional networks that can bring about, or at least facilitate, the means to empower the un-empowered through technology.

I look forward to learning new concepts and skills, as well as developing and being exposed to new ideas to implement them in my work practice to revolutionize education.

M. Ricardo Flores