More or Less? What's the Rush?

It doesn't have to be a battle.

Technology has drastically reshaped the educational and political landscapes.  Those who have proper tools, resources, and knowledge about how to use it, are granted access to information that can fundamentally augment the quality of their future life experiences.   Those who lack the tools to discover and utilize the newest innovations (frequently racial and ethnic minorities, and those from a lower socioeconomic background) find themselves chronically disadvantaged and misinformed, while those with proper information gain autonomy through technology.   As educators, teachers and administrators must prevent these technological advances from furthering the digital divide between the haves and have-nots to create true education in all communities.

MORE! What about training for parents?

In Bridging the Digital Divide by Increasing Computer and Cancer Literacy, two community technology centers were developed in affiliation with Head Start in primarily Latino and African American communities to help equip parents and families to live in a technologically informed society.  By introducing parents to the computer, internet, and other tools as an incentive (they were offered refurbished computers or cash for completing the program), bilingual setting, the school helped improve community perceptions of technology while also raising cancer awareness.  The low-income community was eager to learn, and the study pointed out the efficacy of offering free, non-traditional, one-day courses to families, through data that shows the positive impact was still being observed three months after the course

Similar to this study, educators can participate in creating a socially-just world by inviting parents and relatives to short workshops that explore not only the computer at large, but the specific technological tools that their students are expected to know and use.  Familiarization with how these tools operate and what they can be used for will create a lasting impact on families by empowering them to engage in their children’s schooling.  For example, an elementary teacher who plans to use an iPad app or online game to help kids learn about different food groups could demonstrate those apps to parents in their native language when possible, so that they can encourage their kids to revisit the website from elsewhere.   Furthermore, utilizing technology community courses, newsletters, blogs, etc, to introduce parents to the tools their kids will be using, can effectively address other concerns, for example, health and wellness, while helping the community build a valuable skill set for future employment and participation in the rapidly-increasing technological culture.  Teachers and administrators who initiate parent involvement in their children’s learning by offering services and skills that the community already desires and needs will help to bridge the digital gap and create a fairer, stronger future generation of leaders and thinkers. By doing so, such educators demonstrate that they have the skills, passion, and innovative spirit to tackle broad challenges technology introduces by utilizing technology as a means of education instead of separation.  We have seen this helpful model at Cristo Rey as my students have given several parent workshops on how to use the iPad and access resources needed for important information regarding their child(children).

LESS? What about training for teachers?

The article, Secondary Students' Resistance Toward Incorporating Computer Technology into Mathematics Learning, addresses students' and teachers' feedback in regards to technology being used efficiently in the classroom. Several concerns are addressed to focus on the appropriate use of technology. The research addresses student's perspectives ranging from age 12-17. The decision to utilize technology for math learning was mainly selected because of the reduction in education costs; not for an enhancement in learning that is reflected by test scores. Another area of digital divide, reduction of resources where technology is seen as a way to save money in a potentially negative way. When this research was completed no justification was required for the use of technology in the classroom.

Students were being used as "guinea pigs" while unprepared teachers select computer based programs without testing the programs or becoming familiar with their possible educational benefits. The teachers were not clearly trained on the program, nor the effective implementation of the program with their students.  The students were asked a series of questions related to technology in the classroom. According to their responses, the pen-and-paper method is still viewed as a reliable step-by-step process. Other students viewed spreadsheets, computer programs, and computers as added frustration or stress to the learning process. The students were also concerned with the school maintaining proper updates to avoid computer delays and security issues. 

This raises the overall issue of: we want to train parents about the technology being used at schools. What happens if the teachers are not properly trained or if the use of technology is not effective for the students? In this realm of technology integration, LESS is MORE. Meaning, schools must properly train teachers first, then the process lends itself to: enhancement of learning through the balance of technology tools with students, AND effective integration and training parents. 

Taking the time to for training occurs is of highest importance. Even if that means, slowly infusing technology into the school. There's no rush, technology is here to stay!

SPECIAL THANKS TO: my graduate students Rachel Beil and Aesha Griffin for sharing their thoughts and evidence of research in this blog.

A few questions to think about:  

1. How could you incorporate a community technological outreach similar to the one mentioned here to combat those issues and shrink the gap between groups? 
2. Wiould it be more beneficial for teachers who are less experienced with technology to avoid the usage of technology in the classroom a majority of the time, or implement technology in the classroom regardless of their lack of skills, experience, and knowledge?
3. Should students have the option to reject the use of technology if they are capable of learning more efficiently without the help of technology?

   

 References 

Bridging the digital divide by increasing computer and cancer literacy: community technology centers for head-start parents and families.  by P. Salovey, et al. - ‎2009

Secondary students' resistance toward incorporating computer technology into mathematics learning

by S. M.D'Souza & L. N. Wood