Equity Issues in Educational Technology

University of PhoenixMarianna Kiva

Information technology in education is an incredible resource, and will, without

question, continue to be the single most important component

of 21st century education (Trattner et al., 2000, cited in Looker et. al., 2003,p. 485).

Lack of Equity in Access to Technology (issues)

• The higher the income, the greater the ICT access

• Student-to-computer ratio

• School poverty status

• Lack of teacher technology training

• Reservations regarding the power of technology in education

Student-to-computer ratio by school

A school is classified as either public or private according to whether a public agency or a private entity had the ultimate power to make decisions concerning its affairs

( Statistics Canada, 2006).

Impact on student-to-computer ratios

Student-to-computer ratio by school characteristics (median)

The Canadian ratio of students to computers is 5:1 (Statistics Canada, 2006).

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

Elementary Secondary Mixedelementary and secondary

Urban

Rural

Public

Private

Small

Medium

Large

Using Technology for Schoolwork

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Research Keyboarding Presentations Tests

K-2

Gr 3-5

Gr 6-8

Gr 9-12

Technology is Not Valued as an Instructional Tool

• It is viewed as a word processor tool only•Teachers are viewed as keepers of information•Teachers feel their job is to teach, not rely on technology•Using technology requires time and planning

Educators Are Receiving Inadequate Technology

Professional Development •Schools lack money to pay for training

•On-site computer supports are lacking

•Teachers need time to learn new programs

A Significant Number of Students Have Limited

Access ToTechnology Outside of the

School

School Poverty Status

• Access to and use of information technology, particularly in educational settings, is a prerequisite to building the skills base that will allow our citizens to function productively in the information society of the next century (CEO Forum, 1999, 6).

When schools are poor, the digital divide is

wider

“Students are more technology literate and Internet-savvy than ever, and they use technology in ways that weren’t even imagined a decade ago. Their fluency in technology is not even a question” (Farmer, 2005).

References

CEO Forum (1999). “Professional development: A link to better learning,” The CEO Forum: School Technology and Readiness Report. Pp 1-32. Available online at http://www.ceoforum.org/downloads/99report.pdf

Farmer, Robert (2005) “Instant Messaging: IM Online! RU?,” EDUCAUSE Review. Vol. 40, No. 6, Pp 48–63.

References ( cont.)

Judge, S., Puckett, K., & Cabuck, B. (2004). Digital Equity: new findings from the early childhood longitudinal study. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 36(4), 383- 397.

Looker, Dianne E. and Victor Thiessen (2003). “Beyond the digital divide in Canadian schools: From access to competency in the use of information technology,” Social Science Computer Review. Vol. 21 No. 4, Pp. 475-490.

Reference ( cont.)

Statistics Canada. (2006). Information and communication technologies (Center for Education Statistics). Toronto, Canada: Statistics Canada of Public Schools. Retrieved June 1, 2008, from Statistics Canada Web site:

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080207/d080207a.htm