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:
Current Reality Report
Current Reality Report
Reflection:
For this standard, I chose to use the Current Reality Report/SWOT Analysis completed for EDL 7510 as an artifact. This artifact required detailed analysis of my school’s current reality regarding digital equity among faculty and students. By conducting the Needs Assessment, I was able to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats based on our current reality. Being a Title 1 school, there is a divide between student accesses to technology outside of school.
Each teacher at our school has an iPad and laptop computer, each classroom has at least three desktops computers and many classrooms have interactive whiteboards. Additionally we have two computer labs, plus our media center has a class set of desktops. The school has two laptop carts plus four iPad carts. Although we have a wide variety of technological tools available, these tools are sometimes underused or used for purposes that do not promote higher order thinking. Many of our students do not have access to the internet at home and our school needs to increase strategies to provide equitable access to tools than current access. Although the school has made great strides to become more technologically advanced, my school still lags behind in many areas. Presently, students have a variety of different digital resources available to them with different logins which can cause some confusion. Our district is in the progress of rolling out a digital repository of resources for the students and teachers to use to solve this issue.
Ultimately, this affects the students in these classes, with some not using technology at all. By providing teachers with basic troubleshooting techniques, an increase in equitable access will occur. Teachers need to have better access to learning how to solve their own problems. They also need better technology integration strategies and learn to use technology-related best practices. In completing this artifact, I learned to examine different aspects of the ISTE Essential Conditions in my school. Prior to real looking I would think our school was strong in technology use. However, the assessment reflected some strength but weakness in very key areas. Teacher perception and usage of true transformative technology use needs to improve. Teachers are comfortable with using technology in a teacher-centered environment but feel the need for more development and training when allowing students to manipulate these tools.
What I learned from this task is many school staff struggle with basic technology knowledge and professional development in transformative learning using technology. Process need to be developed in communication between faculty and IT employees to ensure a positive climate that allows for knowledgeable and appropriate technology integration.
Professional development needs to occur focusing more on instructional technology to develop a true understanding how technology should be used in the classroom. Based upon this assessment, an action plan was developed for professional development to improve teacher understanding of how digital tools and resources can be used to develop meaningful instruction and learning environment. I were able to improve the quality of this artifact, I would also hold focus groups with a variety of staff members, students and parents to see receive additionally feedback.
This artifact will impact school improvement by providing an overview of our current reality with regards to technology. The work that went into this learning experience impacts faculty development through the modeling and training of best-practice uses of the type of digital tools that promote equitable access. The impact of this artifact on school improvement, faculty development and student learning is reflected in develop of an action plan in regards to technology use. It can be further assess through change in perception from school stakeholders and the changes we make in regards to access and use technology for teaching, learning, and communicating with stakeholders.
For this standard, I chose to use the Current Reality Report/SWOT Analysis completed for EDL 7510 as an artifact. This artifact required detailed analysis of my school’s current reality regarding digital equity among faculty and students. By conducting the Needs Assessment, I was able to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats based on our current reality. Being a Title 1 school, there is a divide between student accesses to technology outside of school.
Each teacher at our school has an iPad and laptop computer, each classroom has at least three desktops computers and many classrooms have interactive whiteboards. Additionally we have two computer labs, plus our media center has a class set of desktops. The school has two laptop carts plus four iPad carts. Although we have a wide variety of technological tools available, these tools are sometimes underused or used for purposes that do not promote higher order thinking. Many of our students do not have access to the internet at home and our school needs to increase strategies to provide equitable access to tools than current access. Although the school has made great strides to become more technologically advanced, my school still lags behind in many areas. Presently, students have a variety of different digital resources available to them with different logins which can cause some confusion. Our district is in the progress of rolling out a digital repository of resources for the students and teachers to use to solve this issue.
Ultimately, this affects the students in these classes, with some not using technology at all. By providing teachers with basic troubleshooting techniques, an increase in equitable access will occur. Teachers need to have better access to learning how to solve their own problems. They also need better technology integration strategies and learn to use technology-related best practices. In completing this artifact, I learned to examine different aspects of the ISTE Essential Conditions in my school. Prior to real looking I would think our school was strong in technology use. However, the assessment reflected some strength but weakness in very key areas. Teacher perception and usage of true transformative technology use needs to improve. Teachers are comfortable with using technology in a teacher-centered environment but feel the need for more development and training when allowing students to manipulate these tools.
What I learned from this task is many school staff struggle with basic technology knowledge and professional development in transformative learning using technology. Process need to be developed in communication between faculty and IT employees to ensure a positive climate that allows for knowledgeable and appropriate technology integration.
Professional development needs to occur focusing more on instructional technology to develop a true understanding how technology should be used in the classroom. Based upon this assessment, an action plan was developed for professional development to improve teacher understanding of how digital tools and resources can be used to develop meaningful instruction and learning environment. I were able to improve the quality of this artifact, I would also hold focus groups with a variety of staff members, students and parents to see receive additionally feedback.
This artifact will impact school improvement by providing an overview of our current reality with regards to technology. The work that went into this learning experience impacts faculty development through the modeling and training of best-practice uses of the type of digital tools that promote equitable access. The impact of this artifact on school improvement, faculty development and student learning is reflected in develop of an action plan in regards to technology use. It can be further assess through change in perception from school stakeholders and the changes we make in regards to access and use technology for teaching, learning, and communicating with stakeholders.
