EQUITY ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

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EQUITY ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
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Mike Dillon
University of Phoenix
CMP 521 Integrating Education Technology into
Teaching (Using Computers in Education)
Mary Sorensen, Facilitator
May 11, 2006
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Defining Equity
What does equity mean?
According to the Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary (2006), equity is
justice according to natural law or right
freedom from bias or favoritism
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Defining Equity
Then, what does equity mean in the classroom and
in education in general?
The Iowa State Board of Education (2004) follows
five basic principles when making educational
decisions. Two of those are
1) All students can learn
2) All students respond best to high expectations.
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Defining Equity
In a sense, equity in the classroom means showing
favoritism to every student.
The catch is that each student has individual
strengths and weaknesses that need to be
accommodated in unique ways.
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Defining Equity
The Iowa Special Education Advisory Board
established the following educational outcomes
for special education students and students with
disabilities
1) Students receiving special education will meet
high education standards
2) Students with disabilities will be integrated
with non-disabled peers throughout their
education experience
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Defining Equity
The Iowa Special Education Advisory Board
established the following educational outcomes
for special education students and students with
disabilities
3) Students with disabilities will transition to
post secondary education or meaningful employment
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Defining Equity
In addition to students with disabilities and
special needs, the idea of equity must also
address minorities and cultural issues, students
with language barriers, low socioeconomic status,
etc.
Sohow does technology fit with the concept of
equity in education?
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Status of Technology Equity
The literature on computer equity reveals that
many studentsnot only minority, disadvantaged
and inner city, but also female, disabled and
ruralhave been hampered by inequitable access to
computers, and by widespread patterns of
inequitable distribution and use of computers
within and across schools (Nueman, 1993, 3).
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Status of Technology Equity
Students technological savvy has challenged
schools to make greater use of computer and the
Internet in their curricula. Unfortunately, not
every student has the same access to it, and the
inability to keep pace has created a digital
divide that continues to widen (Mason Dodds,
2005, 1).
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Status of Technology Equity
According to Mason and Dodds (2005)
The digital divide particularly affects students
who are black, Hispanic, Native American, and
poor (2).

• 67 of white children are online.

• 45 of black children are online.

• 37 of Hispanic children are online.

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Status of Technology Equity
According to the Technology Counts 2006 report,
the state of Iowa earned the following grades for
technology in education
B
Access to Technology
B
Use of Technology
Capacity to use Technology
B
B
OVERALL GRADE
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Status of Technology Equity
The statistical breakdown in Iowa for each of the
these categories includes
B
Access to Technology

• 3.3 students per instructional computer
• 7.0 students per instructional computer in the
  classroom
• 3.3 students per computer with high-speed
  Internet
• 7.8 students per Internet computer in the
  classroom

All of these stats were below the national
average.
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Status of Technology Equity
The statistical breakdown in Iowa for each of the
these categories includes
B
Use of Technology

• Iowa DOES have student standards that include
  technology.
• Iowa HAS established a virtual school.
• Iowa DOES NOT assess students regarding
  technology.
• Iowa DOES NOT offer computer-based assessments.

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Status of Technology Equity
The statistical breakdown in Iowa for each of the
these categories includes
Capacity to Use Technology
B

• Iowa DOES include technology in its teacher
  standards, administrator standards, and initial
  teacher licensure requirements.
• Iowa DOES NOT include technology in its initial
  administrator license or its teacher and
  administrator recertification requirements.

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How can technology help all students?
Technology can help diverse students with diverse
needs learn in the classroom.
Technology can enhance teaching and learning in
the following areas
Instruction
Learning and Retention
Assessment
Organization
Special Needs
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How can technology help all students?
Some of the capabilities of technology in the
classroom include
1) Text to speech
2) Speech to text
3) Computer-based graphic organizers
4) Vast E-resources
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How can technology help all students?
Some of the capabilities of technology in the
classroom include
5) Presentation Media
6) Online Curricula
7) Interactive Projects and Worksheets
8) Communication
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How can technology help all students?
Some of the capabilities of technology in the
classroom include
9) Accommodations for Visual and Hearing
Impairments
10) ELL Accommodations
11) Etc.
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How can technology help all students?
Some of the equipment that can enhance learning
in the classroom include
1) Computers
2) Projectors and LCD equipment
3) Interactive Whiteboards
4) Calculators and CBL equipment
5) Webcams and Video Conferencing
6) Digital Cameras
7) Etc.
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How can technology help all students?
Different types of software and online resources
that can enhance learning include
1) Tutorials and Online Curricula
2) Drill and Practice
3) Software geared toward ELL students
4) Online classes and distance learning
5) Java Applets and Demonstrations
6) Digital Media and Online Libraries
7) Etc.
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How can technology help all students?
According to Mason and Dodds (2005), many
different types of technology are on the verge of
entering into the educational setting
1) Wireless Networks
2) Electronic Portfolios
3) Portable Technologies
4) Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
5) Virtual Schools
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What are the lessons for learning and the
classroom?
Technology can provide teachers with multiple
avenues for presenting information and improving
students attention and retention
(Silver-Pacuilla Fleischman, 2006).
Technology can provide students with multiple
avenues for demonstrating their knowledge and
skills.
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What are the lessons for learning and the
classroom?
Technology can allow teachers to easily adapt
lessons to students with different skill levels,
abilities, and interests (Bowerman Duncan,
2005).
Research is showing the benefits of giving all
students access technology-based, sensory-related
accommodations (Silver-Pacuilla Fleischman,
2006)
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What are the lessons for learning and the
classroom?
Accessibility features in common technology
applications can help struggling students make
important connectionsto the content, among
ideas, among their own sensory modes of learning,
and between their digital competencies and the
curriculum (Silver-Pacuilla Fleischman, 2006,
11).
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What are the lessons for learning and the
classroom?
Technology can support learning by building
literacy and language skills and independence
(Silver-Pacuilla Fleischman, 2006, 13).
Technology can be used to adapt learning to a
variety of different learning styles and help
teachers create differentiated instruction for a
diverse classroom.
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What are the lessons for learning and the
classroom?
Technology can help students with special needs,
disabilities, and other barriers to learning
receive a quality education in the least
restrictive environment.
When integrated effectively into the classroom,
technology can create a school setting that
provides a fair and equitable education for all
students.
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What needs to be done?
Technology equity is a complex issue that
encompasses disparities in access to and use of
powerful learning tools because of differences in
socioeconomic status, gender, ability level,
racial and ethnic identification, geographic
location, and handicapping conditionOnly when
all students are routinely granted access to
hardware to appropriate software, and only when
technology is used to help each student achieve
his or her own personal best, can we speak of
technology and equity as partners (Mason
Dodds, 2005, 1).
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References
Bowerman, M., Duncan, S. (2005, May).
Technology for all. THE Journal, 32(10), 20.
Retrieved May 10, 2006, from EBSCOHost database.
Iowa Department of Education. (2004). Special
Education in IowaState of the State IDEA 2004.
Retrieved from http//www.state.ia.us/educate/eces
e/cfcs/idea/doc/idea04_spec_ed_iowa_v20040321_file
s/frame.htm
Mason, C. Y., Dodds, R. (2005, May). Bridge
the digital divide for educational equity.
Education Digest, 70(9), 25. Retrieved May 10,
2006, from EBSCOHost database.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. (2006).
Retrieved from http//www.m-w.com/
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References
Nueman, D. (1993, May/June). Technology and
equity. Emergency Librarian, 20(5), 34.
Retrieved May 10, 2006, from EBSCOHost database.
Silver-Pacuilla, H., Fleischman, S. (2006,
February). Technology to help struggling
students. Educational Leadership, 63(5), 84.
Retrieved May 10, 2006, from EBSCOHost database.