4.1 Digital Equality
Candidates model and promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all students and teachers. (PSC 4.1/ISTE 5a)
Artifact: Equitable Blog Post
Reflection:
ITEC 7430 Internet Tools in the Classroom offered many of the practical assignments I created throughout the ITEC Specialist program, including the equitable access blog post. This blog entry, one of many I completed for that class, addressed the issue of equitable access to technology based on income. We are at a pivotal point in our society where people who do not have access to technology, due to income level or socioeconomic status, will be left behind. The technology gap can be rectified with just a few modifications. Today’s schools have media centers and computer labs where all students can access educational content and have equitable access to technology. Another way to create equitable access is to share devices which provides more opportunity for everyone. The teacher can pair or group students who do not have media technology with those how do, and they will have access to the same learning opportunities.
The mastery of Digital Equity under the Standard of Digital Citizenship and Responsibility was realized in the following way. To prevent a further technology gap, due to lack of equitable access to technology, teachers must promote and offer methods to close the gap. This concisely addresses the continuing problem and offers several steps for improvement. As described, the solution will require a combination of access to technology and training to utilize that technology to prevent any further separation. All stakeholders need to work to make things equitable by obtaining knowledge about members of the school, and implementing systems that will promote equitable access to technology for all students and their families, to promote learning at the highest level.
My knowledge of the gap in access to digital technology was broadened through this artifact. The students in our classroom are simply a snapshot of the larger issue of technology inequality. The longer the digital gap is in place for our students, the larger the problem becomes, and unfortunately this is an opportunity for disadvantaged students to fall even further behind. One change I would make with this artifact would be to research in home Internet products that are free or very affordable. With all the access people can get outside the home, sometimes there is still a need to have access in the home, and think sharing any affordable information would be helpful and appreciated.
The information contained within this artifact not only helps students, but can impact faculty development as well. Teachers need increased awareness of the students they teach to first understand that there is, indeed, a gap. The next step is for the school to offer a variety of ways for teachers to access, use, and incorporate technology in to all classrooms, perhaps by offering optional training sessions. When teachers have the tools to use technology for all students they will be more apt to use the media center, computer labs, and bring your own device sharing sessions to increase technology use for all students. The impact of this artifact can be evaluated through an open forum meeting to discuss strategies that teachers can use and assign digital based assignments for evaluation.
ITEC 7430 Internet Tools in the Classroom offered many of the practical assignments I created throughout the ITEC Specialist program, including the equitable access blog post. This blog entry, one of many I completed for that class, addressed the issue of equitable access to technology based on income. We are at a pivotal point in our society where people who do not have access to technology, due to income level or socioeconomic status, will be left behind. The technology gap can be rectified with just a few modifications. Today’s schools have media centers and computer labs where all students can access educational content and have equitable access to technology. Another way to create equitable access is to share devices which provides more opportunity for everyone. The teacher can pair or group students who do not have media technology with those how do, and they will have access to the same learning opportunities.
The mastery of Digital Equity under the Standard of Digital Citizenship and Responsibility was realized in the following way. To prevent a further technology gap, due to lack of equitable access to technology, teachers must promote and offer methods to close the gap. This concisely addresses the continuing problem and offers several steps for improvement. As described, the solution will require a combination of access to technology and training to utilize that technology to prevent any further separation. All stakeholders need to work to make things equitable by obtaining knowledge about members of the school, and implementing systems that will promote equitable access to technology for all students and their families, to promote learning at the highest level.
My knowledge of the gap in access to digital technology was broadened through this artifact. The students in our classroom are simply a snapshot of the larger issue of technology inequality. The longer the digital gap is in place for our students, the larger the problem becomes, and unfortunately this is an opportunity for disadvantaged students to fall even further behind. One change I would make with this artifact would be to research in home Internet products that are free or very affordable. With all the access people can get outside the home, sometimes there is still a need to have access in the home, and think sharing any affordable information would be helpful and appreciated.
The information contained within this artifact not only helps students, but can impact faculty development as well. Teachers need increased awareness of the students they teach to first understand that there is, indeed, a gap. The next step is for the school to offer a variety of ways for teachers to access, use, and incorporate technology in to all classrooms, perhaps by offering optional training sessions. When teachers have the tools to use technology for all students they will be more apt to use the media center, computer labs, and bring your own device sharing sessions to increase technology use for all students. The impact of this artifact can be evaluated through an open forum meeting to discuss strategies that teachers can use and assign digital based assignments for evaluation.