Digital Equity Vs Equitable Access

Statistics are from the same source mentioned above, pages 214 and 226

​Before I knew about tech equity and equitable access, I thought it would be difficult to grasp or improve in well resourced international schools. I always thought more about having equality in resources as opposed to equity in options available to students.


Then, from this initial research on tech equity and equitable access, now I think more about what learning opportunities are available to the students in my school. I wonder how often some students get rich technology-infused tasks, made to deepen their learning, especially now that my school does not have an elementary school technology integration coach.


With this new understanding, now I will change my teaching practice by ensuring that at least the Studio 4 students have more rich, deep learning opportunities with technology. We have Opportunity Time once a week, where teachers run courses for any Studio 4 student to join, and I will continue to ensure a balance of tech-rich offerings. 
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Here is how I will advocate: At my current school (where I am leaving in June), I will advocate to the Prek-12 Educational Technologies Lead about teachers learning as much as they can so they feel confident in providing these rich opportunities to students in every grade level. In my new school, where I will be an elementary school technology integration coach, I will try to start with an audit as I build relationships, trust, and my knowledge of the school before approaching staff about equitable practices with computer science, STEM, and maker activities. As Justin Reich says in Teaching Our Way to Digital Equity, “The first step toward digital equity is helping educators learn everything they can about equitable teaching practices in general.”