Standard 4.1 Digital Equity
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: ITEC 7430 Internet Tools in the Classroom: Social Networks, Virtual Environments, and the Digital Divide
Reflection: The artifact, "Social Network, Virtual Environments, and the Digital Divide" was a blog assignment created for ITEC 7430, Internet Tools in the Classroom. This artifact displays my ability to model and promote strategies for achieving equitable access. The blog entry artifact discusses the "digital divide" that exists in schools today. Along with modeling best practices and strategies for promoting digital access for low socio-economic students (SES), it also discusses accessing digital tools for girls.
This artifact was created to discuss and promote equitable access and best practices. The blog includes a brief discussion of an article by Paul Gorski and his article, “Education Equity and the Digital Divide”. Along with the reading, the blog post discusses the importance of creating best practices for promoting technology equitable access. Some of important best practices include the use of laptop carts and iPad carts, to increase student access in the classroom. Along with carts, another great strategy for promoting digital equity is to utilize programs already in effect to help low socio-economic students (SES) receive access to technology. AT&T and Comcast both offer programs to help low income households with students receive discounted Internet access. Although the Internet access is not extremely fast, it does offer a great opportunity for students to receive access to Internet.
Another great strategy for increasing digital access in the classroom is to meet the students where they are. Many students do not have access to a personal computer at home, but many do have access to cellphones and tablets. Utilizing Web 2.0 tools such as Edmodo, that are designed to work with cellphones and blogs, allows teachers to extend the reach of digital tools and enhance digital equitable access.
Completing this artifact taught me that income is not the only factor that impacts equitable access to technology. Many female students do not have access or acceptance in the digital community; do to conscious and subconscious norms that exist in society. These norms can be changed to include greater access to technology for females.
This assignment has really changed the way I perceive equitable access to technology. While completing this blog entry, I was amazed to learn about the digital divide that exists between males and females. If I were to complete this assignment again, I would expand my view of equitable access. Equitable access has many factors beyond the basic socio-economic concerns that exist in schools. Digital equitable access includes the needs of females, minorities, diverse student populations and cultures. This topic is much deeper than I anticipated, making it difficult to summarize in a simple blog entry.
The impact of this artifact can be seen in school improvement and student learning. After understanding the digital needs of the student population, I plan to model and promote best practices that include equitable access. The impact of this lesson can be assessed in quality of blog entries; access to computer technologies and the increase in lesson plans that utilize a "flipped" and "blended" student centered digital lessons.
References
Gorski, P. (2005). Education equity and the digital divide. AACE Journal
This artifact was created to discuss and promote equitable access and best practices. The blog includes a brief discussion of an article by Paul Gorski and his article, “Education Equity and the Digital Divide”. Along with the reading, the blog post discusses the importance of creating best practices for promoting technology equitable access. Some of important best practices include the use of laptop carts and iPad carts, to increase student access in the classroom. Along with carts, another great strategy for promoting digital equity is to utilize programs already in effect to help low socio-economic students (SES) receive access to technology. AT&T and Comcast both offer programs to help low income households with students receive discounted Internet access. Although the Internet access is not extremely fast, it does offer a great opportunity for students to receive access to Internet.
Another great strategy for increasing digital access in the classroom is to meet the students where they are. Many students do not have access to a personal computer at home, but many do have access to cellphones and tablets. Utilizing Web 2.0 tools such as Edmodo, that are designed to work with cellphones and blogs, allows teachers to extend the reach of digital tools and enhance digital equitable access.
Completing this artifact taught me that income is not the only factor that impacts equitable access to technology. Many female students do not have access or acceptance in the digital community; do to conscious and subconscious norms that exist in society. These norms can be changed to include greater access to technology for females.
This assignment has really changed the way I perceive equitable access to technology. While completing this blog entry, I was amazed to learn about the digital divide that exists between males and females. If I were to complete this assignment again, I would expand my view of equitable access. Equitable access has many factors beyond the basic socio-economic concerns that exist in schools. Digital equitable access includes the needs of females, minorities, diverse student populations and cultures. This topic is much deeper than I anticipated, making it difficult to summarize in a simple blog entry.
The impact of this artifact can be seen in school improvement and student learning. After understanding the digital needs of the student population, I plan to model and promote best practices that include equitable access. The impact of this lesson can be assessed in quality of blog entries; access to computer technologies and the increase in lesson plans that utilize a "flipped" and "blended" student centered digital lessons.
References
Gorski, P. (2005). Education equity and the digital divide. AACE Journal