use of technology in education (make-up)

the two articles on the use of technology in education (A Teacher's Use of Digital Video with Urban Middle School Students & The City We Want) were very interesting and also inspiring in that they showed the potential of technology on students' learning and self-representation.

most of all, the technology, especially that of digital video used in those schools did enable students to be 'creators' or 'main force' in the learning process.
by playing more participatory and creative role in what they learn, students in those places were no longer 'the oppressed'. And there was no place for 'oppressors'.
for me, the visual aspect of the technology used seems quite striking as i think it can be an invaluable supplement to our predominantly text-based educational environment (to mr. Postman's sadness).
we, human being, learn and experience concepts and things by a variety of methods, like reading, listening, seeing, touching, etc. i think giving students diverse learning tools is especially important as they are in a 'developmental' and 'progressing' stage as learners.
as the brazilian project showed, students showed real strong reaction to the tangible process and outcome of their activities. i wonder what if they were just asked to read a book and write an essay about the city that they want... would they have had the same degree of enthusiam and result?
the story of how digital media helped urban middle school students represent themselves and be themselves was also very impressive as well. By using the digital tool, urban minority students were able to express themselves better, and it helped them establish thier identity better.
after reading these articles, I got quite optimistic about what technology can do in education, and most importantly how it can solve the problem of 'digital divide' to some extent. 'digital divide' is not a simple issue and it cannot be fixed over night, or it can never be fixed, as i think it is resulted from more fundamental socioeconomic condition.
in this sense, schools can play a leading role in narrowing the gap at least by providing students opportunity to experience and experiment it.
i know implementation of it in the local school level won't be a simple matter, either, as it involves resources and training of teachers and staff. but i think positive research findings on this topic, technological development, lowering costs of hardwares and software, and better teacher training can bear significant fruits, if designed and put together under a common belief and goal.