It is difficult for me to imagine a child not growing up immersed in exposure to technology because my own experience was one so immersed in it. I had internet at home as early as elementary school and learned to use it along with other electronic devices at a relatively early age. As I begin my career in education I am becoming more and more aware of the extent of the diversity that I’ll be dealing with in student backgrounds. Many will not fit my profile and after reading these articles I’m forced to consider the role I will play in ensuring that all students are afforded the same opportunities to learn to utilize technology as I experienced.
It has been observed that “the uses of instructional technologies in today’s schools influence the opportunities for future educational and work experiences” (2007, Swain & Edyburn, p.18)—a realization that brings an urgency to the need for not only incorporating technology into classrooms, but that teachers not be hindered in their efforts to incorporate technology by a perceived lack of student access to it. As there will be cases where children have no access to technology at home it seems that the responsibility ought to fall on schools to make sure that all students are being equally prepared for the future—a future that will require a relatively high degree of technological fluency. The challenge is for teachers and schools to find ways around these access issues.
It would be silly to refuse to use technology in schools on the grounds that not all children have internet access or other resources at home. As stated by Swain and Edyburn, “students without these [technological] skills are at a decided disadvantage in terms of future educational and employment opportunities in our global, technological, and information-based society” (p.15). Therefore all students, regardless of what is available to them at home, need to be engaged in technology use to be prepared to compete in this increasingly technology-dependent world. It is my responsibility in my own classroom to make sure that these students are aware of what resources are available to them both outside of the classroom itself and the home. Only in this way can I have the same expectations for all students, regardless of what is available in each child’s home. Generally, at least at the high school level, students have access to video cameras and other equipment that they can check out from the school and take home to use. There are also laboratories that are available for student use within the school building. Swain and Edyburn point out that often the local Boys and Girls club or the library are places where students can use technology (p.18). I’ll have to do my own research to find out if there are more places in the community available to students free of charge.
Another role that I can play in helping to make sure students all spend a minimum amount of time learning with technology is by ensuring that I create class assignments that utilize in it, thereby forcing students to develop these critical technological skills. This could involve using cell phones in class, requiring PowerPoint presentations, computer-generated art or writing assignments, the creation of videos outside of class, etc., and also occasionally designating class time for this purpose. By requiring the use of technology in assignments I can ensure that all students are engaged in learning to use it fluently.
References
Swain, C., & Edyburn, D. (2007, March). Social Justice: Choice or Necessity? Learning and Leading with Technology, 14-18.
Greenhow, C. (2008, September/October). Who Are Today’s Learners? Learning and Leading with Technology, 16-17.
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