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Slide Notes
Both students and teachers in my community experience their digital lives very differently depending on the individual.
Our community is economically diverse we are a "Title one" school (about forty percent free and reduced subsidized meals). The other students come from a variety of economic contexts.
Student digital use, even among the economically disadvantaged, has increased rapidly in the past decade. But how different groups use this access can be strikingly different.
At the same time many teachers who may support student access are themselves barriers to many uses. Because they struggle to understand the kinds of digital uses that might provide real opportunities for new capital for disadvantaged individuals and communities.
In this presentation I will ask a series of questions aimed at helping educators understand what their role is and how their attitudes and context may impact students in the various digital divides.
Our community is economically diverse we are a "Title one" school (about forty percent free and reduced subsidized meals). The other students come from a variety of economic contexts.
Student digital use, even among the economically disadvantaged, has increased rapidly in the past decade. But how different groups use this access can be strikingly different.
At the same time many teachers who may support student access are themselves barriers to many uses. Because they struggle to understand the kinds of digital uses that might provide real opportunities for new capital for disadvantaged individuals and communities.
In this presentation I will ask a series of questions aimed at helping educators understand what their role is and how their attitudes and context may impact students in the various digital divides.
what divides us?
Published on Nov 18, 2015
A look at digital divides/inequalities and how educators can begin action through reflection on their own context and that of the community they teach.
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
what divides us?
digital inequalities
Both students and teachers in my community experience their digital lives very differently depending on the individual.
Our community is economically diverse we are a "Title one" school (about forty percent free and reduced subsidized meals). The other students come from a variety of economic contexts.
Student digital use, even among the economically disadvantaged, has increased rapidly in the past decade. But how different groups use this access can be strikingly different.
At the same time many teachers who may support student access are themselves barriers to many uses. Because they struggle to understand the kinds of digital uses that might provide real opportunities for new capital for disadvantaged individuals and communities.
In this presentation I will ask a series of questions aimed at helping educators understand what their role is and how their attitudes and context may impact students in the various digital divides.
Our community is economically diverse we are a "Title one" school (about forty percent free and reduced subsidized meals). The other students come from a variety of economic contexts.
Student digital use, even among the economically disadvantaged, has increased rapidly in the past decade. But how different groups use this access can be strikingly different.
At the same time many teachers who may support student access are themselves barriers to many uses. Because they struggle to understand the kinds of digital uses that might provide real opportunities for new capital for disadvantaged individuals and communities.
In this presentation I will ask a series of questions aimed at helping educators understand what their role is and how their attitudes and context may impact students in the various digital divides.
Photo by haglundc
What factors divide student and teacher
groups
As I responded to the question of student/learner divides I was struck by the idea that the shift in our communities from lack of access to differences in uses especially in developed communities and nations like our own presents a challenge to explore how to overcome the difference in opportunities gained by individuals and communities through our schools. Differences in teachers must have an impact on students' ability to use technology to overcome inequalities.
learner factors
- digital culture
- access
- exposure
- encouragement
Digital culture.
Students and teachers experience technology from their cultural perspective.
Both students and teachers have different access to technologies.
What students and teachers think of as possible is often a factor of what they have seen and experienced.
Many factors empower teachers and learners in their use of technology. Many things also inhibit the sense of potential a learner sees in the digital world.
What divides skeptics from enthusiasts?
Students and teachers experience technology from their cultural perspective.
Both students and teachers have different access to technologies.
What students and teachers think of as possible is often a factor of what they have seen and experienced.
Many factors empower teachers and learners in their use of technology. Many things also inhibit the sense of potential a learner sees in the digital world.
What divides skeptics from enthusiasts?
Photo by colemama
digital culture
- how is technology used in my environment
- What is my cool?
- what is my possible?
It is safe to say I am probably "behind the times" on what most student culture is.
My primary students experience a digital culture mostly through what is provided by parents but as students age this shifts dramatically to peer based cultural development.
Informal polling of my students shows differences in how students access and use technology but all students experience digital culture in some form as part of their lives. This is a huge shift from a decade ago when relatively few students in my classrooms had regular access.
Culture often dominates what we consider as possible. How does the difference between the way students view technology and its uses and teacher views and values impact inequalities within a community?
My primary students experience a digital culture mostly through what is provided by parents but as students age this shifts dramatically to peer based cultural development.
Informal polling of my students shows differences in how students access and use technology but all students experience digital culture in some form as part of their lives. This is a huge shift from a decade ago when relatively few students in my classrooms had regular access.
Culture often dominates what we consider as possible. How does the difference between the way students view technology and its uses and teacher views and values impact inequalities within a community?
Photo by samsungtomorrow
Access
- devices
- applications vs. apps
- computing power
- bandwidth
- time to explore
In the last decade access through internet capable wireless devices has increased theoretical access for millions.
Do different kinds of hardware access impact learner potential? many studies seem to play with this issue without resolving it.
Applications (PC based) and apps (tablet/phone) provide very different contexts for working and playing especially considering touchscreen use. Does limitations in access to one or the other have minor or major implications? I have not seen any definitive data but the possibility seems significant.
Both bandwidth and time either allow or inhibit exploration and learning. As bandwidth and time decrease, frustration and the steep learning curve for many technologies especially the most "productive" make capitalizing on access slower.
Do different kinds of hardware access impact learner potential? many studies seem to play with this issue without resolving it.
Applications (PC based) and apps (tablet/phone) provide very different contexts for working and playing especially considering touchscreen use. Does limitations in access to one or the other have minor or major implications? I have not seen any definitive data but the possibility seems significant.
Both bandwidth and time either allow or inhibit exploration and learning. As bandwidth and time decrease, frustration and the steep learning curve for many technologies especially the most "productive" make capitalizing on access slower.
Photo by BrunoDelzant
exposure
- what is being used around me?
- how does technology impact my life?
- what is in my comfort zone?
Different communities use digital access and technologies differently.
Are social functions the highest priority or is business connectivity and access to information?
Do students see technology as more than games?
Do teachers see real potential for increasing efficacy?
While most students seem totally at ease with technology there are major differences in the communities of digital natives. do you speak code or Minecraft? HTML what?
Teachers fall into even more heterogeneous groups. and while the dichotomy of enthusiasts and skeptics is fun to talk about the spectrum from fear to comfort might be a more useful lens.
Getting teachers and students to understand their perspective and then leverage what they can do seems critical to overcoming challenges.
Are social functions the highest priority or is business connectivity and access to information?
Do students see technology as more than games?
Do teachers see real potential for increasing efficacy?
While most students seem totally at ease with technology there are major differences in the communities of digital natives. do you speak code or Minecraft? HTML what?
Teachers fall into even more heterogeneous groups. and while the dichotomy of enthusiasts and skeptics is fun to talk about the spectrum from fear to comfort might be a more useful lens.
Getting teachers and students to understand their perspective and then leverage what they can do seems critical to overcoming challenges.
Photo by Thomas Hawk
encouragement
- who provides it?
- what excites me?
- do I have support?
- do I have the room to fail?
what drives students and teachers to make capital from oppurtunities?
internal motivations are tricky to understand let alone influence.
External factors at least are observable.
Are the opportunities there and do they happen in a positive setting?
Are the learners' interests engaged by a technology or the context of its use?
Are the structures that make the technology enjoyable and productive to use in place? What happens when it doesn't work or I am stuck?
Answering these questions can provide a planning direction for creating a digital use vision that is engaging.
side note:
I have always said " if you know how it's easy, if you don't it's near impossible". unless...
You are ok with multiple failures until you find out how... and then it's easy.
But each individual has a different tolerance based in part on the previous factors discussed.
internal motivations are tricky to understand let alone influence.
External factors at least are observable.
Are the opportunities there and do they happen in a positive setting?
Are the learners' interests engaged by a technology or the context of its use?
Are the structures that make the technology enjoyable and productive to use in place? What happens when it doesn't work or I am stuck?
Answering these questions can provide a planning direction for creating a digital use vision that is engaging.
side note:
I have always said " if you know how it's easy, if you don't it's near impossible". unless...
You are ok with multiple failures until you find out how... and then it's easy.
But each individual has a different tolerance based in part on the previous factors discussed.
Photo by Hello Turkey Toe
teachers are learners too.
as unequal access morphs into divides in types of use how do teachers fit in
In order to work on positively impacting the role of technology in providing new possibilities for all students .... Whew big idea!
These questions come to mind.
to have a positive impact on Digital inequalities a cohesive vision and plan must be put in place at all levels.
Finding answers to the following questions might help individuals to better engage in that process.
These questions come to mind.
to have a positive impact on Digital inequalities a cohesive vision and plan must be put in place at all levels.
Finding answers to the following questions might help individuals to better engage in that process.
Photo by aquababe
does your comfort with or fear of technology impact your students?
If you said yes than it matters!
Can over-enthusiasm introduce a lot of uses that may confuse some less experienced users, Both students and teachers?
Clearly fear and the subsequent lack of use has an impact.
But don't both boldness and resistance stretch the digital divides/inequalities? Because opportunities in school are more precious for those who have confined experiences in other contexts.
Finding a balanced path is important.
Can over-enthusiasm introduce a lot of uses that may confuse some less experienced users, Both students and teachers?
Clearly fear and the subsequent lack of use has an impact.
But don't both boldness and resistance stretch the digital divides/inequalities? Because opportunities in school are more precious for those who have confined experiences in other contexts.
Finding a balanced path is important.
Photo by spettacolopuro
does culture, access, exposure and encouragement
impact opportunity?
Probably? Many studies have sought or are seeking this answer but the last decade of research that I read indicates this is a fast moving target. We have to make assumptions, GULP, and act or be paralyzed, which, arguably, will have a worse impact.
By making this question a pillar of any discussion you can maintain a focus on impacting digital divides. This frame provides ongoing guidance.
By making this question a pillar of any discussion you can maintain a focus on impacting digital divides. This frame provides ongoing guidance.
Photo by Susan Hall Frazier
if you said "Yes I think so"...
The answer is...
what is our respons...
each answer is different. Our responses need to reflect a plan at all organizational levels. but it is more than a bureaucratic problem.
We each have an ethical commitment to engage in this process continuously if we intend to have a positive impact.
We each have an ethical commitment to engage in this process continuously if we intend to have a positive impact.
ibility?
Hopefully the final play on response and responsibility tie the idea of making a plan and accepting a mandate to do something together.
Find your answer.
I'm seeking mine
I would add several more slides providing next step opportunities for viewers if I were to use this presentation publicly.
Who needs another stand alone call to arms that leads nowhere?!
Who needs another stand alone call to arms that leads nowhere?!
references
please see notes for research references
Digital Divide References:
Measuring the Information Society Report. (2014) (1st ed.). Geneva. Retrieved from https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/ind/D-IND-ICTOI-2014-SUM-PDF-E.pdf
U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology,. (2010). National Education Technology Plan 2010 Executive Summary. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
Gilbert, M. (2010). THEORIZING DIGITAL AND URBAN INEQUALITIES. Information, Communication & Society, 13(7), 1000-1018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2010.499954
Pearce, K., & Rice, R. (2013). Digital Divides From Access to Activities: Comparing Mobile and Personal Computer Internet Users. J Commun, 63(4), 721-744. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12045
van Deursen, A., & van Dijk, J. (2013). The digital divide shifts to differences in usage. New Media & Society, 16(3), 507-526. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1461444813487959
DiMaggio, P., Hargittai, E., Celeste, C., & Schafer, S. (2001). From Unequal Access to Differentiated Use: A Literature Review and Agenda for Research on Digital Inequality (1st ed.). Russell Sage Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.eszter.com/research/pubs/dimaggio-etal-digitalinequality.pdf
Measuring the Information Society Report. (2014) (1st ed.). Geneva. Retrieved from https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/ind/D-IND-ICTOI-2014-SUM-PDF-E.pdf
U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology,. (2010). National Education Technology Plan 2010 Executive Summary. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
Gilbert, M. (2010). THEORIZING DIGITAL AND URBAN INEQUALITIES. Information, Communication & Society, 13(7), 1000-1018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2010.499954
Pearce, K., & Rice, R. (2013). Digital Divides From Access to Activities: Comparing Mobile and Personal Computer Internet Users. J Commun, 63(4), 721-744. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12045
van Deursen, A., & van Dijk, J. (2013). The digital divide shifts to differences in usage. New Media & Society, 16(3), 507-526. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1461444813487959
DiMaggio, P., Hargittai, E., Celeste, C., & Schafer, S. (2001). From Unequal Access to Differentiated Use: A Literature Review and Agenda for Research on Digital Inequality (1st ed.). Russell Sage Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.eszter.com/research/pubs/dimaggio-etal-digitalinequality.pdf
