4.1 Digital Equity
Candidates model and promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all students and teachers. (PSC 4.1/ISTE 5a)
Artifact: SWOT Analysis and Blog Entry
Reflection:
Both the SWOT Analysis and blog entry on digital divides demonstrate my knowledge in the area of digital equity. The SWOT Analysis was designed to illustrate the current status of the school where I teach on the essential conditions, one of which is digital access. The other assignment, a blog entry on digital divides, was written to raise awareness about the importance of working together to close the divide. Both assignments were completed individually.
The SWOT Analysis focuses on the eight essential identified by ISTE. For each condition, I had to identify the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities; in addition, I had to write a summary/gap analysis for each of the conditions. Through this work, I modeled and promoted strategies to achieve equitable access to digital tools and resources for the school where I work. Some ideas I came up with included up-to-date classroom technologies, parent classes to access technology and learn how to use different types of technologies, increased use of social media for communication, increased number of clubs and opportunities offered during before and after-school hours, a check-out center for students, increased community awareness and involvement, and the administration of a digital inventory to identify needs. All of these strategies are best practices for teachers and students.
The blog entry on the digital divide was one of the first assignments that made me think about what a digital divide actually is and ways to start thinking of the process to try to close that divide. When I wrote the blog, I was teaching in a different school than I do now; therefore, the information provided in both of the documents is vastly different. The county where I teach now has a greater divide than the previous county where I taught. Although the school where I did teach is technology-rich, there’s still a need for improvement. A strategy I mentioned in the blog demonstrated the use of hot spots for students who don’t have access at home, which would help achieve equitable access to resources as well. Because the number of students who do not have access is fairly low, I believe this would be a feasible idea.
I gained newfound knowledge from both of these artifacts. The SWOT Analysis was a great way for me to get to know the environment in which I would be teaching prior to the beginning of the school year. Because of the analysis, I understood the digital divide was going to be greater than what I had been used to previously; it helped me to brainstorm ways to help close the divide at the new school where I am currently teaching. In addition, the blog entry also helped me to think of ways to help with the divide that existed within my previous school. If I changed anything about these projects, I would include more information that would be ready to pass out immediately to raise the awareness of this great divide that exists among so many schools in today’s world of education.
The work for both assignments impacted school improvement and faculty development by raising awareness of the facts and increasing attentiveness in helping to close the gap of the digital divide that exists. The impact of these assignments could be measured through surveys to any and all stakeholders in a school, which include (but not limited to) administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members.
Both the SWOT Analysis and blog entry on digital divides demonstrate my knowledge in the area of digital equity. The SWOT Analysis was designed to illustrate the current status of the school where I teach on the essential conditions, one of which is digital access. The other assignment, a blog entry on digital divides, was written to raise awareness about the importance of working together to close the divide. Both assignments were completed individually.
The SWOT Analysis focuses on the eight essential identified by ISTE. For each condition, I had to identify the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities; in addition, I had to write a summary/gap analysis for each of the conditions. Through this work, I modeled and promoted strategies to achieve equitable access to digital tools and resources for the school where I work. Some ideas I came up with included up-to-date classroom technologies, parent classes to access technology and learn how to use different types of technologies, increased use of social media for communication, increased number of clubs and opportunities offered during before and after-school hours, a check-out center for students, increased community awareness and involvement, and the administration of a digital inventory to identify needs. All of these strategies are best practices for teachers and students.
The blog entry on the digital divide was one of the first assignments that made me think about what a digital divide actually is and ways to start thinking of the process to try to close that divide. When I wrote the blog, I was teaching in a different school than I do now; therefore, the information provided in both of the documents is vastly different. The county where I teach now has a greater divide than the previous county where I taught. Although the school where I did teach is technology-rich, there’s still a need for improvement. A strategy I mentioned in the blog demonstrated the use of hot spots for students who don’t have access at home, which would help achieve equitable access to resources as well. Because the number of students who do not have access is fairly low, I believe this would be a feasible idea.
I gained newfound knowledge from both of these artifacts. The SWOT Analysis was a great way for me to get to know the environment in which I would be teaching prior to the beginning of the school year. Because of the analysis, I understood the digital divide was going to be greater than what I had been used to previously; it helped me to brainstorm ways to help close the divide at the new school where I am currently teaching. In addition, the blog entry also helped me to think of ways to help with the divide that existed within my previous school. If I changed anything about these projects, I would include more information that would be ready to pass out immediately to raise the awareness of this great divide that exists among so many schools in today’s world of education.
The work for both assignments impacted school improvement and faculty development by raising awareness of the facts and increasing attentiveness in helping to close the gap of the digital divide that exists. The impact of these assignments could be measured through surveys to any and all stakeholders in a school, which include (but not limited to) administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members.