The computer classes at Edward Little High School are suffering from lack of efficient technology. The computers in certain classes are not powerful enough to run certain software that would benefit the classes, and in the few classes that do possess the necessary hardware, the software is still at its bare minimum.

Computerized media classes, such as digital video classes, indeed have the software to function. However, they make less progress than intended due to the slow rate at which they finish lessons and projects. I assure you that this sluggishness is not on the teachers’ heads. Rather, it is the fault of the technology they use. The software is outdated and thus incompatible with must useful Web sites, and limited in its capabilities. Furthermore, computers are severely lacking in processing power by today’s standards. So, the programs are slowed.

To solve this problem, the school has purchased new laptops to fill all the under-equipped computer labs. They were promised to be installed and operating within the first two weeks of school. However, the promise was broken when it was announced to the faculty that they would not have those computers this year. The reason for this, offered by Mrs. Twiss, the person in charge of computer and network repair and computer distribution within the school, was, “We don’t have all the equipment yet.” Reasonable enough.

The question then lies in the reason for the reason. Why don’t they have all the equipment yet? The answer could lie in a delay of delivery, but I would soon blame underfunding. Due to this underfunding, the teachers must repair their own computers and at times purchase the software for their classes out of their own pockets. “The school gives me no support,” said Mr. Chovanes, one of the technology teachers.

In short, the school needs to put more funding into the technology courses, otherwise the students, who live in an age dominated by technology, will be the ones to suffer due to a lack of understanding of the technology they do or will use.