A Wishful Statement: Technology Will One Day Lead To A More Equitable Society

“Technology has led to a more equitable society”

Oh, how wonderful would it be if this statement rang true. I knew from the get-go the answer, but yet I listened with rose-coloured anticipation, hoping to be convinced otherwise.

The potential that educational technology has to enhance learning, especially for those with varying abilities or for those in remote areas is limitless. There is one overarching hindrance, though:

Money.

Cash flow, funding, dollar dollar bills…however you word it, it is what is needed to have technology live up to its fullest potential in educational equity.

The possibilities in assistive technology alone would be enough to close this argument, but alas. Funding in the Education Sector, or lack thereof, holds us back.

One specific time in my teaching career came to mind immediately when this debate began. During remote learning while Covid had schools shut down, my students’ level of success directly correlated with their family’s income. It was just how it was.

We, of course, did everything in our power to help those students who did not have access to devices or strong internet, but we absolutely saw a glaring gap emerge between the students in the “have” and the students in the “have not” categories.
We provided devices to families who had none, and Sasktel even stepped up and provided internet to rural areas and farms without a solid internet connection. Nevertheless, the families with limited access all saw their kids struggle to keep up with assignments and access the scheduled meetings. Especially did we witness families with multiple kids who had to all share time on the device struggle in this case.

In “Bridging the Technological Divide” from the Harvard Political Review, Alyvia Bruce further explores this dynamic and divide:

Bridging the Technological Divide in Education

“The income inequality furthered by the advent of technology has propelled another troubling trend: educational inequality. Sean Reardon, a Stanford sociologist, identifies that educational achievement differences are more closely aligned with family income than any other demographic factor. Researchers have also shown that these achievement gaps have already begun growing by the time lower-income children reach kindergarten.

When all three of these phenomena — income inequality, the rise of technology, and education gaps — collide, it leads to troubling impacts on youth. The digital divide has especially pronounced effects on children, whose parents’ socioeconomic situation determines their ability to engage with increasingly technology-reliant educational materials. Nearly all schools across the US require at least some form of technology to complete assignments outside of the classroom. COVID-19, which has forced classrooms to adopt remote-learning software such as Zoom or Google Meet, has only accelerated this trend.”

It is sad but true to note that these economic divides are widespread all over the world, and likely even more so in places outside of Canada. The ones that can afford technology will always have a leg up on gathering information, completing assignments faster, and being able to research more efficiently.

I want to see technology create a more equitable society, and I truly hope that one day it can.