Building the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers
This article addresses what is known as the Digital Divide: The fact that students' access to digital technology differs according to things such as race, economics, and school funding. This article helps teachers by providing educators with ideas and strategies that address equity and access issues among all students. It discusses the placement and location, as well as the access given, to technological devices within a school -- whether there has been enough funding for the school to provide at least a few computers in each and every classroom. One thing that I found very interesting was the fact that when schools do not have computers in the classrooms, but have what is known as computer labs, students do not see computers as integral to their learning experiences. It also addresses the fact that since all students do not have access to computers at home, there is an equity divide between those that do and those that don't.
The article goes on further to inform teachers that they need to be more aware of how they use technology in their classrooms, remembering that some students will know much more about how to use a computer than others. Oftentimes, teachers who keep journals of their computer use find that they are using them more for themselves to create lessons than using them in the classroom so all students have access to computers. It also addresses the fact that keeping parents in the loop is important in that there are some stores, like Target, who provide computers for students in need of such devices.
I learned from this article that teachers are not using the computers as much as they should in the classroom, but rather are using them for their lesson planning and making digital videos. I also learned that just because your school is not well funded doesn't mean that there is no other way to get computers for your individual classroom. There are many businesses that form partnerships with schools or individual teachers to help them gain the technological resources so needed in this age.
I will certainly remember that I have other options to gaining computers for my students once I start teaching.
Claudia,
ReplyDeleteI really wish I would have read this article for this assignment. I think that this is a HUGE issue in educational technology today, and it is one that often goes overlooked. The school in which I do my student teaching right now is in a low-income area, and technology is limited. Two of the classrooms are piloting 1-1 iPads, but many of the other classrooms only have a few computers. There is a computer lab which each class gets to use only one or twice a week. Many of the students do not have a computer at home, and if they do, they seldom have internet access. We call today's kids "digital natives," but this is not true if they do not have access to technology because of their socioeconomic status...
This is a good response. I find it so great that low income schools are provided with many computers and technological advanced devices. The school that I do my clinical practice at is in a very low income area, but all of the teachers are provided with an ipad and their own computer, as well as the class has at least 3 mac computers in them and they have a computer lab of at least 35 mac computers. It is so great, because like you stated, many of those students don't have access to such nice things, or any kind of computers like that at home. So for them to have open access to computer use at school is a great opportunity. It is also important that teachers understand the use of their computer and technology in their classroom. That is something I think can always use improvement on because I am so used to using windows and many of the computers in schools are macs now. This is a great article for all teachers to read.
ReplyDelete-Jamie Harris
Hi Claudia,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your response. I also read this article and was surprised how teachers use the computers more for preparing lessons and not in lessons. I also agree with you that even if funding is low there are many other ways to get money through grants and business partnerships. Even with just a few computers, learning centers would allow for all students to then have access.