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: Digital Equity Blog
Reflection:
The artifact that I have chosen to demonstrate equitable access to digital tools and resources infused with technology-related best practices for students and teachers would be my Digital Equity Blog created in ITEC 7430. This blog was created to explore, diagnosis and treat problems that arise from the use of 21st century modern tools in education today. This ongoing need for students to have equitable access to communication tools such as the Internet is known as the great “digital divide”. This divide is not only plaguing my current school district, but other schools around the globe. By collaborating and generating meaningful discussions with other educators through use of blogging, I was able to not only gain insight about why we lack these digital tools, but also understand how equitable access to these digital tools can play a major role in the academics success for students who lack them. My individual contributions to this artifact included providing additional resources for teachers who lack digital equity, increasing my understanding about the variety of factors that can limit access to these digital tools, and understanding that educators must employ an array of strategies to navigate any roadblocks that hinders students learning.
This artifact demonstrated mastery of the standard, because I modeled and promoted strategies for achieving equitable access, equipped educators with an extensive list of resources on how to obtain free digital tools, and furnished resourceful websites for teachers to give to students and their parents. Resources included a Digital Toolkit, and in-depth information from major cable/internet companies that provides little to no-cost Internet service/computers to families who are in need. In addition, I blogged about my own personal experiences with obtaining a free iPad for my at-risk students through use of Donorschoose.org. Furthermore, I also provided technology-related best practices for all students and teachers such as encouraging many opportunities for students to access technology in and out of the classroom, as well as continuing to challenge student’s perceptions about the role of technology in education.
From completing this artifact, I learned that children young to adolescent will use an abundant amount of digital media on a daily basis. Furthermore, it is imperative that classrooms teachers and parents provide tons of educational resources, access to digital technology, and the Internet so that children may benefit academically and experience global diversity as well. Moreover, I learned that teachers should also encourage students to recognize the critical link between technology, professional development and classroom practice. For example, taking an online course in high school, can prepare a student for online courses in college, and teaching online as a professional career. This not only helps student’s bridge the gap between what they learn in school and a professional career, but ultimately prepares the student for life with technology beyond what they imagined. What I would do differently to improve the quality of the artifact or the process involved in creating the artifact, would be to collaborate with school district’s outside of Georgia on their experiences with equitable access to their students. I would further investigate ways educators could continue to seek funding for technology, in spite of challenges they face to bridge the great digital divide.
The work that went into creating this artifact impacted school improvement, faculty development and student learning, because schools systems can see that having access to the Read/Write Web, Podcasts, Blogging, Wikispaces and Internet Safety etc. can increase student achievement among low income students. This artifact also helped teachers understand the significance of equitable access to technology, because teaching outdated information will only hurt the students. Having engaging tools and resources to use at any given moment with students will increase student engagement and authentic learning. Ultimately as a transforming technology coach, this impact will be assessed by not only improvement in student learning on state and district test, but also help students gain new meaning about the world around them. Lastly technology-related best practices for all students can also be assessed by teacher’s ability to help students see and understand how technology plays a significant role in culture, global awareness, and student’s educational experiences.
The artifact that I have chosen to demonstrate equitable access to digital tools and resources infused with technology-related best practices for students and teachers would be my Digital Equity Blog created in ITEC 7430. This blog was created to explore, diagnosis and treat problems that arise from the use of 21st century modern tools in education today. This ongoing need for students to have equitable access to communication tools such as the Internet is known as the great “digital divide”. This divide is not only plaguing my current school district, but other schools around the globe. By collaborating and generating meaningful discussions with other educators through use of blogging, I was able to not only gain insight about why we lack these digital tools, but also understand how equitable access to these digital tools can play a major role in the academics success for students who lack them. My individual contributions to this artifact included providing additional resources for teachers who lack digital equity, increasing my understanding about the variety of factors that can limit access to these digital tools, and understanding that educators must employ an array of strategies to navigate any roadblocks that hinders students learning.
This artifact demonstrated mastery of the standard, because I modeled and promoted strategies for achieving equitable access, equipped educators with an extensive list of resources on how to obtain free digital tools, and furnished resourceful websites for teachers to give to students and their parents. Resources included a Digital Toolkit, and in-depth information from major cable/internet companies that provides little to no-cost Internet service/computers to families who are in need. In addition, I blogged about my own personal experiences with obtaining a free iPad for my at-risk students through use of Donorschoose.org. Furthermore, I also provided technology-related best practices for all students and teachers such as encouraging many opportunities for students to access technology in and out of the classroom, as well as continuing to challenge student’s perceptions about the role of technology in education.
From completing this artifact, I learned that children young to adolescent will use an abundant amount of digital media on a daily basis. Furthermore, it is imperative that classrooms teachers and parents provide tons of educational resources, access to digital technology, and the Internet so that children may benefit academically and experience global diversity as well. Moreover, I learned that teachers should also encourage students to recognize the critical link between technology, professional development and classroom practice. For example, taking an online course in high school, can prepare a student for online courses in college, and teaching online as a professional career. This not only helps student’s bridge the gap between what they learn in school and a professional career, but ultimately prepares the student for life with technology beyond what they imagined. What I would do differently to improve the quality of the artifact or the process involved in creating the artifact, would be to collaborate with school district’s outside of Georgia on their experiences with equitable access to their students. I would further investigate ways educators could continue to seek funding for technology, in spite of challenges they face to bridge the great digital divide.
The work that went into creating this artifact impacted school improvement, faculty development and student learning, because schools systems can see that having access to the Read/Write Web, Podcasts, Blogging, Wikispaces and Internet Safety etc. can increase student achievement among low income students. This artifact also helped teachers understand the significance of equitable access to technology, because teaching outdated information will only hurt the students. Having engaging tools and resources to use at any given moment with students will increase student engagement and authentic learning. Ultimately as a transforming technology coach, this impact will be assessed by not only improvement in student learning on state and district test, but also help students gain new meaning about the world around them. Lastly technology-related best practices for all students can also be assessed by teacher’s ability to help students see and understand how technology plays a significant role in culture, global awareness, and student’s educational experiences.
