Digital+Equity

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(General information about technology use in subject area.) Below are some resources for use in (subject) education.

=Technology Examples= Below are technologies that could be used in (subject) education, along with a general example of how each could be implemented. //Click a link to visit the page for that technology tool.//
 * Tech Name/Link - Example of some general use of the technology
 * iFake Text/http://www.kleinspiration.com/2013/03/ifake-text-having-fun-with-dialogue.html - Can be used to teach characterization to students by having them create their own dialogue between story characters. Students can use the app during class, but they can also complete assignments at home by just writing the conversation by hand if they don't have access to a computer. (Mary Reyes)
 * Edutopia.org - This is a site where educators can find information about technology, resources, and ideas for other subject areas, all while connecting with other teachers. This site led me to smore.com where students/teachers can create online posters. (KC)
 * [|khanacademy.org] - This site has the potential to change the nature of education and the way that technology is integrated and used. While this site does not tackle the main issue of students not having equal access to technology, this site does greatly improve their options once they do have access. (Edward Schultz)

=Content Resources= Below are some resources for (subject)-specific content. (Resources listed here.)

Provided is a link which leads to a Project Tomorrow, Speak Up informative visual. This project represents an initiative to encourage schools to narrow the digital divide, with research and supplemental statistics on tech usage, mobile devices and trends. There is many more interesting resources attached to this particular webpage, therefore also provided is a link to the educational website.

Website: []

Infographic/Mobile Learning: @http://tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU2013_MobileLearning.pdf

Students with Disabilities and the Digital Divide Digital equity is a huge issue facing today's schools as we progress into the digital age. For students with disabilities, access to and knowledge of technology can make a huge difference in one's education. Teachers should be aware of the many resources available for these students in order to help them succeed. This article discusses digital equity and students with disabilities and includes several resources:

=Opinions & Feedback= (General feedback on technology use in (subject) education.)


 * Digital Equity**

When it comes to the issue of technology in the classroom, it is important that all children get the same amount of time regardless if they finish or not seat work. Some kids might be more advanced than others might, for there always be a gap in skills, but it is the teacher’s job to plan the curriculum so all her students get exposure to technology, reading or any other skill that will empower their education.

One solution for instance, in a Spanish class, a teacher can have students do grammar, vocabulary flash cards, and listening and comprehension on the web. The instructor can divide the time slot, so all the students get to work on the computer regardless if they finished their seat work or not. For those students that take longer finishing the seat work, they can start by doing the media assignments first.




 * Digital Equity**

Digital Equity is a prevalent issue in many lower income, minority schools. Many lower income students do not have access to computers at home and so school is one of the only places that they have access to computers or technology. While students may have equal "access" to computers in school, the technology that the students are using varies greatly. Many lower income, minority schools show students using computers for basic, repetitive tasks while students from higher income schools were manipulating technology to perform more complex tasks.

One of the key preventative actions a teacher can take is to make sure they are confident in the technology present in the classroom. Through workshops and school training, teachers can learn how to best utilize the resources that they are given, however limited. This allows students to benefit greatly from the technology in the classroom especially because they may have limited access outside of the class.

This article is very informative of the digital gap and how it can be addressed: //Who's Wired and Who's Not: Children's Access to and Use of Computer Technology // //Henry Jay Becker // //The Future of Children, Vol. 10, No. 2, Children and Computer Technology (Autumn - Winter, 2000) , pp. 44-75 //

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Teachers who wish to ensure digital equity in their classrooms should learn as much about the issue as they can ("Knowledge is power"). Beyond this, teachers can attempt to find ways to bring more technology into the classroom. For instance, there are cheap avenues available for those who wish to purchase inexpensive laptops; teachers can try to work in conjunction with administration to at least make more technology available in the school. Additionally, it is important that teachers try to incorporate creative uses of technology into their curriculum so that disadvantaged students are pushing their technology skills beyond repetitive assignments. For instance, free image editing sites like Pixlr.com provide easy access for students to create a product that could be used in a variety of classes, such as a high school economics or history class. By pushing these students to work with technology at a higher level, teachers can help minimize the digital gap between students.

For those interested in learning more about digital equity and the ways that teachers can bring more technology into schools and their curriculum, I found this article to be very interesting, especially since it has links to many resources available to teachers:

http://ualr.edu/pt3/images/Toolkit_022702.pdf

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 * Joanna Kei**

http://theconversation.com/online-education-can-we-bridge-the-digital-divide-9725

I was researching the digital divide online and most were scholarly articles, but since I am an advertising major I picked a more news style article. The article talks about the digital divide in relation to other places like Australia. It takes money to have technology and the digital divide and affluence go hand in hand. I believe that we have reached a certain level of comfort, but there still are more rural areas where it is harder for students to have access to necessities for the digital age like computers and internet. The articles states that giving laptops to every school isn't going to solve the problem which I agree completely with. Digital equity is an on going problem and there are many layers to it. There are those who have access to technology but don't have the capability to use them like my parents. The lack of knowledge can severely hinder someone from getting a job. More and more money and knowledge on technology are interrelated and it's important to start teaching kids at a young age some basic skills on computers.

Funding is a major problem. Teachers need to have money to provide the technology. Resources are limited and many teachers just don't want to take out the time to move away from traditional teaching methods when they don't have to. There are a lot of reasons for the digital divide and there are ways to combat them like using computers in the classroom for the students who don't have computers at home. Applying for grants to buy computers. Students should have the right to access the internet when they can and they should be taught the academic purposes of technology.

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 * Rebekah Froehlich**

http://www.edchange.org/publications/Digital-Equity-as-published.pdf

I read an article that discusses the digital inequality in different cultural areas and for disabled people. The most troubling inequity mentioned was that a disabled blind person cannot use the internet. The only way, it would seem, to counteract this problem would be to give a visually impaired student a seeing person to read the information on the screen. This will never be enough for a student to be considered internet-savvy. Unfortunately, the best you can do for that student is to give them audio recordings of the information they need or give them a Braille book. This still doesn't seem fair to me.

Another group rarely brought up but suffer greatly from digital inequality is Native American populations. Many are very poor and are distrustful of the government. The best thing teachers can do to help bring digital equality to these populations is to have work in class on the computer to specifically teach them computer skills. I personally feel that using the internet for teaching is not nearly as important as simply showing students how to use the internet. While yes our culture is entrenched in the use of technology and so we should teach our students how to use it in order to function in a technology-savvy world, if expecting students to use certain forms of technology will cause an unnecessary divide in the classroom, it is better to learn from a book. If there is such a divide, teachers should make time in the classroom for all students to work on their computer skills so that those who need the instruction are not singled out. These lessons need to be focused on gathering information and gaining computer skills and not on other class objectives, otherwise students who are trying to learn are being rushed to use a skill they are still trying to establish.


 * Digital Equality**

Edward Schultz

In today's ever increasing technological world, it is becoming more important than ever that every person has access to the internet and technology. In a few short decades technological innovation has skyrocketed, and it does not plan on slowing down. In order for our young people to catch up and keep up, education about and with technology needs to become and integral part of curriculum in all areas, and from a young age. It would not surprise me to find everything in the US to be automated and integrated with technology in the next 20-30 years, and if individuals start behind then they do not stand a chance. The parents cannot be forgot about in this situation, as they are the main influence for the use of and education with technology in the home. If the parents are not properly education on the technology themselves, it can become stressful and even frightening, and that can lead them to limit their child's contact with it.

Yet education can only go so far: technology requires a lot of funding to be successful. While this may be a separate issue all together, I believe the issue of funding for education is an umbrella that affects a multitude of areas. It is plain to see which schools get more funding by looking at the technology present in the schools: schools in affluent areas have computers in every room and tablets for every child to use, while schools in impoverished areas are luck to have 4 machines with Windows 98. It is not fair to blame the teachers, parents, or students in these situations for many times it is out of their control. What is required is the politicians that are supposed to be supporting the citizen's best interests to actually uphold their responsibilities and reform how education is funded in this country.