ISTE Teaching Standard 4 – Meet the Digital Divide then make them Digital Citizens. In my research I was guided by Teacher Standard Four:
4 b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
Moreover, Teaching Standard 4c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
I am torn between these two questions because I feel like they are both important. But I think that they do connect with each other. The first step is to get all students access to the internet and fast accessible internet all the time to be successful. The next step that connects with my second question has to do with once they are connected to the internet how then do we ensure that the students are using that freedom correctly. By correctly I mean that they are treating each other with respect and kindness on and off the internet.
The question I asked myself first was with many students who could not access materials from home and how that truly debilitates them for school. How do we stay equitable for all students no matter what they have access to at home (i.e. computer, smartphone, data, wifi, television)?
This article by The Atlantic and written by Terrance Ross in 2015 examines the data behind accessibility. As of 2006, the US had 99% of students on the internet but as we all know connectivity is different depending on where you are and what you are trying to get finished. A quick fast speed internet connection can allow for curiosity and creativity to fly but the slow stagnant internet will hinder exploration and accessibility. This article includes several studies (see charts below) around different districts and how they have tried to help students get connected. It even mentions Washington’s Kent School District and how it has tried hard to reach out to the growing refugee community to ensure they have the internet. The article goes on to state that “technology morphs from being a luxury to being a necessity, the chasm between the performance of low-income students and their more affluent peers is coming under even greater scrutiny. Advocates say the tech movement is further exacerbating the already-large achievement gap; in education circles, this phenomenon is dubbed the “connectivity gap” or the “digital divide” (Ross, 2015).
How can we model for our student the proper way to act online with authentic and real-life situations without stepping out of the boundaries of curriculum and school related materials?
New York City School Library System. (2012, April 4). Citizenship in the Digital Age Sample Lesson Plans for Grades 1-12 [Scholarly project]. In Citizenship in the Digital Age. Retrieved May 17, 2017, from http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/3CA0188D-66A2-490C-9E90-1EFCADA92F8C/0/Citizenshipinthedigitalage.pdf
Ribble, M. & Miller, T.N. (2013). Educational leadership in an online world: connecting students to technology responsibly, safely, and ethically. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 17(1), pp. 137-145.http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1011379.pdf
Ross, T. F. (2015, March 13). When Students Can’t Go Online. Retrieved May 17, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/03/the-schools-where-kids-cant-go-online/387589/
