For a long time I was always the kid without a computer for two reasons; My parents could not afford a computer and they thought it would make their kids lazy. They eventually found the money to buy a brand new Macintosh in 1996, I was in 5th grade. My parents were right, all my brother and I used the thing for was to play games and instant message online. Due to my parents jobs they had no need for the computer and therefore had a difficult time justifying the investment. That computer was thrown out about 3 years ago. My mother still does not care to know how the computer "turns on" and my father only uses his company laptop to look at business quotes.

Fortunately, I had access to computers through school and could manage my time appropriately in order to do computer based assignments. Many of the computers (especially the drafting computers) were purchased with grant money obtained by Mr. McDaniel, he was a math and industrial technology teacher at Sandy High. Without his efforts, my marketability in 2010 would be greatly diminished. Swain & Edyburn (2007) said, "80% of jobs in the next two decades will require workers to be technologically fluent."

I think teachers and parents who avoid technology do their students a great disservice in the long run. I am a prime example of this, by all accounts I should be a Digital Native, but in actuality I posses the qualities that reflect a Digital Imigant. This fact is ultimately my own fault, but without teachers pushing the integration of technology in the curriculum I would have been at a complete disadvantage in undergrad.

As a future teacher I believe integration of computer work is not always the easiest thing to do, especially for students who lack the appropriate screen time. I do not believe this is an adequate excuse for teacher to throw technology out the window altogether. Even the disadvantaged students will eventually need to find a job and poor computer skills are going to limit opportunities in future job markets.