Without a Net: The Digital Divide in America (2017)

At a time when American students from economically deprived schools are often ill-prepared for the global, digital economy, Without a Net: The Digital Divide in America, explores how technology can provide opportunities for learning and can help level the playing field. Further still, if such greater parity in education can be achieved, what are the critical factors in determining that success? The one-hour film focuses on digital inequities in public school classrooms, examining the challenges of providing connectivity, technology, and computer learning in public schools (Grades 6-12), as well as the transformative potential of fully equipping all students for the digital world. The narrative is built, in part, around profiles of schools, educators and students that face extraordinary challenges with connectivity, access, hardware, and teacher training, but are nevertheless achieving remarkable success. These stories illustrate the complexity of the problems faced by the nation's poorest school districts, and the need for multi-faceted solutions to close the technology gap; combining reliable internet at school and at home with up-to-date, relevant devices, as well as innovative teacher training, custom-designed, educational apps and visionary leadership.