Equal Access to the Digital World

What does it mean to "provide equal access to the digital world"?

Providing equal access to the digital world is an overwhelming concept, proposing that all students have access to technology in their educational endeavors in order to be successful. Unfortunately, this is not the case in all schools. There is a "gap in access to information technology that is more significant for certain schools, specifically those with high minority populations or those in rural areas, with individuals who are physically challenged, and with females. The goal of equity is not just to put the same number of boxes, wires and pipes into every classroom; rather, we need to concentrate on equitable integration, training and support for all students and teachers." In my school, we have four laptops for each classroom; the teacher laptop and three for student use; however, it's difficult for all students to have access because there are over 25 students per class. Computer lab time is also at a premium with our 1200 students having to share two computer labs. So how do you allow students equal access when there isn't enough equipment or time? The simple answer is you can't. I would love it if my students were each given a laptop or tablet for classroom use, I would love it even more if all of my students had computers, tablets or smart phones of their own; however, it isn't realistic and a low SES population makes it even more unrealistic. Providing equal access in my district would take financial resources that we currently do not have, along with teacher training, improved software and technology upgrades. In the future, I know this is coming, but as for right now, providing equal access is almost impossible.

Sources:
Schrum, L., & Levin, B. B. (2009). Leading 21st Century Schools. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Social Media in the classroom

Welcome to the wonderful world of technology! As we embark on this journey, you will find your student more immersed in the use of technology than ever. WebQuests, Edmodo, and blogs! Oh My!Speaking of which, we are now starting to use more social media in the language arts classroom. Social Media has been a huge part of everyone’s lives in the past few years, and growing all the time. Therefore, we will be starting to blog on our Edmodo site even more in the coming weeks. Please visit https://www.edmodo.com/mstroutspage to learn more.

I understand that you may be leery about allowing your child to use social media in the classroom, but let me reassure you, it’s perfectly safe. Our school has Internet security systems in place that block sites considered not content driven and therefore unsafe for student use. Also, students must have a code to get into the site, which they get through an invitation from their teachers. Social media allows students to keep in touch with each other regarding classroom materials in a safe, productive way and is monitored constantly (by me). Students will be more engaged with the material and connected on higher levels.


In a world where students thrive on the amount of time they spend connected each day, a profound shift must occur in the traditional classroom environment. Students in the Net Generation do not want to be lectured to; they want to have their opinions valued, they want to follow their own interests, they want to create, they want to connect with peers to express and share opinions, they want to share control, they want immediate information, and most importantly, want an education that is not just relevant, but real. (Prensky, 2010)


Research shows that students are more engaged in learning, more interested in the material and actually learn more when connected. When we teach students that social media sites like Facebook, and Twitter aren’t just for entertainment, but allow them to learn in a way in which they are already accustomed. So let’s get blogging!


These articles were used to conduct the research:


Prensky, M. (2010). Teaching digital natives: Partnering for real learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.


Scott, S. M. (2012). Go ahead ... be social: Using social media to enhance the twenty-first century classroom. Distance Learning, 9(2), 54-59. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1034600860?accountid=3783