Embracing the Dream of an Education

Abstract

Students have not changed much over the years. Their desire to learn, be productive, and to share with others to make a better life for themselves, their family, and the community have pretty much stayed the same. What has changed is the vehicle being used. Technologies such as personal computers and the internet have been around since the 1980s; however, they did not come into common use until the late 1990s. As personal computers became a burgeoning industry in the 1990s everything has changed in the world, or has it? Many take for granted that access to the internet and computers are part of who we are and where the world has taken us. This is the reality for many, but not for all, and not even for everyone in the United States. Included is an exploration of the situation on rural American Indian reservations and the challenges and external barriers to accessing needed technologies to be successful. A call to action is included for change and the strategies and practices that could aid in building infrastructures and access to information on rural American Indian Reservations.