Reflection 1 - Hurdles and accelerators

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Topic: Digital Equity

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Reporting

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Every year the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) releases a set of publications looking at topics for growth within teaching. Within their 2020 hurdles and accelerators publication, I found the topic of ‘digital equity’ particularly interesting and relevant. This topic looked at how equitable and accessible technology such as computers and other devices, as well as any internet or other modes of connectivity were (Innovation Advisory Board Members, 2020).

 

To me, I found this important due to the ever-evident growing climate of technology. Looking back, I can see how much technology has increased the potential of learning for me and many others both inside and outside of the classroom (Resta & Laferrière, 2015). However, coming from a lower socio-economic school where technology was limited for most of my education, I can understand how many students may find the accessibility of technology a problem; whilst also now seeing how hard it for such schools to cater to meet these needs. Due to this, I want to maximise my understanding of how I can help such people in the future.

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Relating

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In planning for expansions of facilities and meeting the needs of students, a lot of schools lack the required funding and have to rely on government policies or grants. Given this, many schools use any technology they can acquire to build their students learning potential, which leads to schools using the same technology until it isn’t accessible anymore. I’ve experienced this in many schools I’ve been to and worked in, as they’ve all had the same class set of student laptops for a department to share. These laptops and computers were often old models with both bad processing speed and battery life, which led to students being deprived of possible learning opportunities, quality of support and skills acquisition (Hepp, Hinostonza, Laval & Rehbein, 2004). Coupling this with students also lacking the correct technology and internet connection (Warschauer, Knobel & Stone, 2004); I can see students and schools have a big issue with implementing both online learning and support, which has been especially evident in the current educational climate. This gap in equity creates an environment where students aren’t capable of growing as much as a similar student at a school with such capabilities.

 

To overcome this hurdle, many initiatives have been attempted in the past such as the ‘Digital Education Revolution’ (DER) where public secondary students were provided laptops (Reid, 2009); whilst, other organisations like Optus have created donating data initiatives (Optus, 2019). However, I believe more funding is needed for schools and students that lack these necessities, as this will build towards an education system were more students have equal learning opportunities.

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Reconstructing

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Looking at the inequality in technological opportunities for students in the developed country that is Australia makes me disappointed. Given this, I want to continue to learn about ways to help my future students with accessing such needs in their education. I believe that one way I as an educator can help in the future is to get know my students and their circumstances, then use that to guide my decisions in finding them help or providing them alternative ways of acquiring skills and knowledge they’ll need in the future.

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References

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Hepp, P., Hinostroza, J. E., Laval, E., & Rehbein, L. (2004). Technology in schools: Education, ICT and the knowledge society (pp. 30-47). World Bank, Distance & Open Learning and ICT in Education Thematic Group, Human Development Network, Education.

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Innovation Advisory Board Members. (2020). Driving K–12 Innovation - 2020 HURDLES + ACCELERATORS [Ebook]. The Consortium for School Networking. Retrieved 25 March 2020, from https://cosn.org/k12innovation/hurdles-accelerators.

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Optus. (2019). Donate your Data. Optus.com.au. Retrieved 25 March 2020, from https://www.optus.com.au/about/sustainability/community/donate-your-data.

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Reid, A. (2009). Is this a revolution?: A critical analysis of the Rudd government's national education agenda (Doctoral dissertation, Australian Curriculum Studies Association).

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Resta, P., & Laferrière, T. (2015). Digital equity and intercultural education. Education And Information Technologies, 20(4), 743-756. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-015-9419-z

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Warschauer, M., Knobel, M., & Stone, L. (2004). Technology and Equity in Schooling: Deconstructing the Digital Divide. Educational Policy, 18(4), 562–588. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904804266469