Educational technology has become central to teaching and learning in school districts across the country. But there remain wide inequalities in access to devices and broadband, with some school districts using technology much more effectively than others, the U.S. Department of Education announced Jan. 22. The National Educational Technology Plan concluded:
Specifically, the Department of Education's Blueprint for National Educational Technology Priorities, we see three major disparities in digital assets. They include:
- Digital access gapThis refers to gaps in access to devices and high-speed internet, as well as lessons in digital citizenship and media literacy.
- The digital design dividewhich refers to differences among teachers in understanding how to effectively use technology to meet the needs of their students.
- and Disparities in digital usageThis refers to the variation in how schools use technology to engage students and teach critical thinking skills.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement about the plan, “It will focus on empowering teachers to become designers of active learning and using technology in effective ways to engage and motivate students. That's important,” he said.
The National Educational Technology Plan was last updated in 2016, before the pandemic forced school districts to rely on educational technology to deliver instruction.
The report includes recommendations for school districts, state officials, and policymakers on how to improve each of the three areas of digital inequality.
For example, to use digital tools more effectively, the report urges educators to avoid using devices simply to show videos or allow students to email questions to teachers. is recommended. Instead, you should strive to leverage technology to help students collaborate on projects, learn code, create their own podcasts, and more.
To improve “digital design” and help educators get the most out of technology, school districts should carefully vet technology platforms before purchasing them. Once districts purchase tools, they should continually evaluate them, including seeking direct feedback from teachers, the report says.
The report recommends that school districts form public-private partnerships to strengthen access to digital tools, ensure students have access to high-speed internet, and embed skills such as digital safety and media literacy across the curriculum. are doing.
Joseph South, chief innovation officer at the International Educational Technology Association, praised the report's focus on educator skills.
“It’s great to see more and more emphasis on making sure educational technology works for educators as well as students,” he said. “We need a solution that accommodates both teachers and students.”
“Every brain is as different as a fingerprint”
This report focuses on how technology can help school districts deliver universal design for learning., or UDL to all students. UDL is a strategy that encompasses a wide range of teaching techniques and allows multiple ways for teachers to present information and for students to participate in class and demonstrate what they know.
Experts say UDL began as an approach to special education, but it has become increasingly clear that all students, not just those receiving special education services, have unique ways of learning. As a result, he later branched out into general education.
The report recommends that educators be provided with training on how to use technology to make content engaging and accessible to students with a wide range of learning differences. The report also suggests that school officials model her UDL principles in interactions with teachers, such as staff meetings, and provide time for educators to meaningfully discuss the methods.
The department outlined ways to support children in special education through the use of digital devices in their instruction. Published together with the report.
Lindsay Jones, CEO of CAST, the nonprofit education research and development organization that created Universal Design for Learning, said UDL was mentioned on 74 of the 113-page report. It is said that there is Framework.
“We have an opportunity to create a dynamic and flexible learning environment for our students by properly integrating technology into our education systems, because not all students learn the same things,” Jones said. he said. “It's not just children with disabilities who learn differently. It's not just English language learners. The reality for teachers is that every brain in the classroom is as different as a fingerprint.”