Technology Equity

Technology Equity

As we near the conclusion of this on line class, it is pretty apparent how much is available to us for educational use with the click of a button. This is not just available to us but students and people in general. Technology is here to stay. It’s a part of daily life and we have become much more dependent on it. An example that use of technology doesn’t discriminate against age, my 60 year old father and a 10 year old kid at the school I work at both have email accounts and use cell phones. More and more jobs when available are requiring computer skills and other technological device experience just to be considered. I think when I become a teacher, at the forefront of making fun and engaging lessons; technology and computers will be intertwined with the learning.

The main idea presented in the two articles we read discussed the use of technology for teaching when access for some students is not available. In the “Who Are Today’s Learner’s” article it stated studies showed no real difference in computer skills based on income, it was access. The first thing I would do in class after initial procedure type stuff is have a getting to know you questionnaire involving computers, experience, and accessibility, etc. This way I would be able to find out how much of my lessons would be computer based or used, and what could potentially be finished in and out of school. Assuming all families and students have access to a computer and Internet would be a mistake. I feel I will be teaching using technology so it is crucial in getting to know my students and their technology habits. Those who are limited in experience or access would have tutorials and extra time available if needed or additional arrangements could be made.

At this point in time I do feel schools or myself would be doing the students a disservice if technology of some kind were not used in the classroom. It is a fact that technology is being used daily and today’s students are some of the biggest users. This generation of students are digital natives and from what I have seen, they learn with computers as well. Not only does it create engaging and interactive lessons, we are providing and teaching skills they ultimately will use for outside of school. If all but a few students had access to computers for a particular lesson, I would see to it that the others were taken care of. Whether that means finding them a computer to take home or setting up a time to complete the assignment, depends on the situation.

In the article “Social Justice: Choice or Necessity”, they provided examples of where students who don’t have computer access can go to gain accessibility. This includes the library, school computer lab, and Boys and Girls Club. In addition, people have old computers they donate or you can buy cheap on Craig’s List, etc. The school I work at, which is a lower income school, gets things donated all the time and received a grant to buy new computers for the lab and library. If a student needs to use a computer or a lesson calls for it, its available. I would also allow for students who needed additional time to be able to go to the labs or library to complete a given assignment, even if it meant missing part of a class. I feel very strongly that these skills are going to help in life after school as well as during, so it is my duty to implement technology use in my curriculum and all students be included. As I said before, it is very important to recognize early who has access and who doesn’t, then plan accordingly. Times have changed, and the students and the way they learn have changed. We need to provide the same opportunities students in other leading countries have, no matter what the socioeconomic status is of the school and its students. By that I mean preparing students the best we can with skills that will help them get a job and be successful, and using technology is a part of this.