When I first read the statement “Technology has led to a more equitable society” I remember immediately thinking no it hasn’t, but the only aspect that crossed my mind was the availability of devices. In my opinion students without access to computers are not going to receive as beneficial of a learning experience as students who have 1 to 1 access. Despite how you felt about debate one, I think we can all agree that when the children of today are finished school they’ll find themselves in a labor market that’s dominated by technology. During the debate a reference was made to Without a Net which stated by 2020 77% of jobs in America will require computer skills. One can only assume that number has continued to go up since then.
That begs the question, how could society be more equitable, when many don’t have access to technology in the first place? This concept has become known as the “digital divide”. Students should be on an equal playing field when it comes to their education, but it’s just not working out that way. Without a Net opened my eyes to realize that this goes far beyond just access to devices.
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Devices is the base need, but then we have to talk about connectivity. About how even if we’re able to get students their own individual devices, what good does that do if they’re stuck buffering websites or videos during the whole class? That’s not helping them to learn. And then it goes a step further. Say they have access to technology and highspeed internet. We still need some way to teach them with this new technology, meaning the teachers need to know how to use it beneficially. If we give them the access to technology but we don’t show them how to use it, then what are they really gaining? Imagine you’re a student in this scenario. You finally have access to the world’s technologies, only for your teacher to put a PowerPoint on the smartboard and then tell you to open up a Word document and start taking notes. If teachers aren’t trained on the technology, how are they supposed to know how to best incorporate it?
Ideally one day teachers would get that training, and I’d argue that the four pitfalls, discussed by Sulecio de Alvarez, M., & Dickson-Deane in Avoiding Educational Technology Pitfalls for Inclusion and Equity, should be a part of that training. Keeping in mind considerations like making sure that we always view students as producers, not just consumers. They should be using technology in a way that promotes creativity, and not just using it to collect information. Also teachers need to be aware of the risk that if technology becomes too heavy handed in how students learn they could actually become less motivated. Students need some control over their own learning. If technology is telling students that the best way they’ll learn is the way it suggests they do it, then students can essentially just become a cog in the learning machine. They’ll have no desire to try and do better. They’d just be following an educational path that’s already been set out for them. Proceeding along the assembly line until they’ve developed into a graduate that was simply passive in their years of schooling instead of active.
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This emphasizes the importance of teachers. I can’t stop thinking about one particular statement in the Without a Net documentary, “We need to shift teacher education from an instruction model to a coaching model”. With the incorporation of technology teachers no longer have to be the source of information. Instruction can come from the technology itself, and yet a teacher will always be needed, not just to show them how to use it, but to motivate and care for the students, to encourage them to be creative and help them find their passions, and help shape them into the amazing individuals we know they’re capable of being. Right now, I stand by saying that technology has not been equitable, but if it ever gets us to that point where teachers can assume a coaching role, then I’d say that would be more than enough to switch my opinion.
This was a great breakdown of your thoughts. When I first read the statement I initially thought about the fact that not everyone has a computer, or even internet. Then in class, when we discussed if Katia would ever clarify what technology means, it kind of hit me that technology could include a pencil or lightbulb or even something as simple as shoes. However, even then I still don’t think that everyone in the world has access to all of these technologies – even in a community/town/city there are people who are missing out on those basic technologies that we just figure everyone has.
It is a very deep conversation!
There are some great insights, Joshua. In recent years I have been trying to switch my teaching style more of a facilitator to allow students more room to navigate tasks in ways that better suit their needs. Many learners already know what works best for them when they come to high school and it is my responsibility to have those conversations with them rather than the paper that comes in often telling me how they learn. Personally, during the debate, I had a piece of paper beside me to take notes rather than quick type on the computer. This works for me, but certainly not others who feel more comfortable to type or audio record notes.
Hi Joshua,
Teacher training is a good point that you brought up. We discussed it so many times in this course because it is indeed a crucial point in education. How can you teach students something when you don’t know it yourself? But we, as teachers, don’t have many reasons to complain because the division has provided us with a computer. Even if we don’t have internet at home, we can still stay later after school hours and educate ourselves. So, instead of finding excuses for not doing things, we should focus on finding reasons to advance ourselves. It is our responsibility to leverage the resources and continually improve our skills.
Hi Joshua!
The blog offers a well-rounded critique of the assertion that technology has led to a more equitable society. You effectively highlight the digital divide, emphasizing that access to devices and connectivity is just the starting point. Your insights on the necessity of teacher training and the potential pitfalls of technology-heavy education are compelling. Overall, your argument is persuasive and thought-provoking. You did a great job!
Hi Josh! I really connected with your statement that kids are going to find themselves in a technology dominated labour market – you are absolutely right. I think that it is so detrimental to restrict access to technology or not educate our students how to use it appropriately and efficiently (whatever that tech might be) when they will need those skills to survive in the world they live in now. Students aren’t going to not work in a place that uses cell phones, or computers. They need to know basic technology skills (see: “have you tried unplugging and plugging it back in?”) that they can then apply to new technology situations (see: have you tried unplugging and plugging it back in?”). Sending kids off to be adults without some technology literacy skills is realistically like sending them off to be an adult who cannot read – it just makes things so much harder for no reason.
Your post provides a compelling critique of the notion that technology has led to a more equitable society. I particularly appreciate your emphasis on the need for proper training for teachers and equitable access to both devices and connectivity. The main takeaway for me is that while technology has the potential to bridge gaps, it requires thoughtful implementation to truly achieve equity. Given the current digital divide, what specific initiatives or policies do you think could be most effective in ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to benefit from technological advancements in education?
Your thoughts on how technology can be more equitable are food for thought. I agree that the statement from the “Without the Net” documentary about teachers being supporters in learning makes so much sense. Education today can be enhanced if use of technology is done properly.