Another term that this article uses, almost hand-and-hand with equitable access is the participation gap. I like this term simply because it gives a short title to a problem that is often discussed in today’s education; the difference in the educational experiences of students with and without technology access. The importance of technology in education use to be a debate of yes or no, or with or without, but it has evolved into a debate of how much, what type, and how to use it effectively.
Students without computer and Internet access in the home have fewer chances to gain the digital literacy needed to function in today's world which makes their access to computers in the classroom that much more important. I think the most interesting concept that I took from this article was the unrealized relationship between teachers and their treatment of students with little vs. extensive exposure to technology. “The student with 24/7 access can use the computer for school assignments and spend many extra hours surfing the Web. These students develop awareness and communication skills that may lead teachers to respond to them more positively than those without the same experiences.” The result of this positive attention from the teachers will be the advancement of students with technology access, while those without access are left to fall even further behind.
For most schools, large changes in technology are scary and costly. This article suggests starting in the library. Starting with the library and the media center in the library allows schools to try new technology on a small scale but it also gives all classes the opportunity to use these new tools equally (ideally anyway) since they are not added to a single teacher’s classroom. Highlighted below are a couple of suggestions for making technology more accessible to the students and improving the technology currently available:
Look for opportunities to improve the library media center facility. No matter how small the changes are the students will benefit from the updates.
Create opportunities to educate. Increase efforts to collaborate with teachers to teach information skills to all students. Other ways may include starting a club with the goal of teaching students how to use common software to become effective technology users.
Embrace the teacher’s changing role! Invest the time and energy needed to meet the demands of being a 21st-century teacher. The available technology is constantly changing and it is up to the teacher to demonstrate to the student how to use these new tools effectively.
Don't wait for them to come to you -- get out there, go to them! Market the services made available through technology. Embrace new technologies such as pod-casting or blogging, and encourage students to experiment with these new technologies.
Grow professionally. Keeping up-to-date on new trends in teaching and learning will help incorporate the newest technologies so that everyone will benefit.
Franklin, P., & Stephens, C. (2009). Equitable Access, the Digital Divide, and the Participation Gap. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 25(5), 43-4. Retrieved from Education Full Text database.
I can see how an administrator is keen to bring costs down, but an online database is not the place to cut corners. Not only will having access to this tool be a boon to students while in high school but it will also prepare them when they move on to college. Most colleges and universities have access to some kind of database collection and learning to navigate your way through it before college would be very helpful.
ReplyDeleteI also liked the term you mentioned, "participation gap." As you pointed out, students who have access to online technology at home, instead of just at school, develop skills far more advanced than those students who only use a computer during school hours.
I do like the trend of schools issuing laptops to students so they may bring them home with them. They may not have access to the Internet at home, but at least they would be able to continue to work on assignments stored on their laptops. That's at least a step in the right direction. Of course the cost for such a program is very high and most schools aren't able to afford it. There is federal stimulus money out there for such programs, but a school still would have to have technology employees in place to take care of any problems students are having with their laptops. Can you imagine if they expected the teachers to take care of any such issues?
In researching our topic this week, I was also intrigued by the term "participation gap." In addition, to technology use in the classroom, students who have access to technology at home, and are allowed/encouraged to use it, have greater opportunity to enhance their knoweldge base and their abilities. Certainly, this broadens their equitable access and narrows the participation gap. You nailed it in your summary by acknowledging their opportunity to hone communication skills and raise their level of awareness on a myriad of topics.
ReplyDeleteHi Whitney,
ReplyDeleteI am very fortunate to work with a Media Specialist/Librarian who is both highly-motivated and tech-savvy. Together, she and I collaborate on most all areas of technology integration in our building. She is 60 years old, but willing to learn and challenge herself technically. We have a pretty extensive system of databases and she maintains the library web page on her own. Our students have many online choices and can access much of the information from home.
As you highlighted in your post, using the resources of the Media Center is a good way to start the process of technology integration. Collaboration and communication is integral to the process.
Nice job,
Susan
Hi Whitney,
ReplyDeleteThere is a definite gap in our nation between the "haves" and the "have nots". Not only do our students from low income household suffer with acquiring basic needs (good food, opportunities to go to college, etc...), they have fewer resources, like a computer or internet access. As you stated, students without technology at home are less likely to develop digital literacy and the technological skills and awareness needed as we march into the 21st century. It is up to us, our districts, the state and the federal government to design curricula and offer the resources and training needed to provide equitable access to all students.
I agree with your third paragraph. Students who dont have technology at home will be behind. Technology is growing in the world, the workplace, and schools whether we like it or not. I believe that as teachers we should help to close that gap of technological literacy in schools by incorporating technology into our classrooms. We could also give the students the opportunity to use technology at schools if they dont have it at home as well. I am actually in an education course at the University of South Alabama. The whole class is online and we created our blog and the whole class is conducted through these blogs. We use other teachers thoughts and experiences with technology to help us decide whether we will use it in our classrooms or not.
ReplyDelete