Information Technology Training For Under-Represented Minority Teachers And Students

Abstract

This paper will present an attempt for addressing the high rate of under-representation of minority students and teachers in Information Technology (IT) in low income localities. It appears that these communities have been left behind during the economic boom of the dot.com experienced by the rest of the western world and the nation. The paper will discuss on strategies to alleviate the disparity between the ‘haves’ and ‘have not’ in information technology training, skills, and economic opportunity that can be availed through use of e-commerce and, generally, seeking information through the Internet. Our proposal is to train teachers and students in such communities to make difference in their lives and by mentoring the teachers and hopefully the knowledge passed to the teachers will reach their students in junior and high schools.