By: Katie Landaverde, Lake Dallas ISD

As internet usage becomes more omnipresent in the 21st century, the shift toward digital learning and flipped instruction will only continue to grow. And while we can likely all agree that our students deserve equitable access to digital resources, it is not a current reality. There still exists a significant disparity in digital access among schools with one-to-one initiatives and schools with minimal devices. Regardless, a vast majority of campuses provide students with the technology necessary to gain access to digital resources in some form during the instructional day. When students head home at the end of the day, however, the digital access divide grows ever more significant. Statistics released from the Pew Research Center show vast income and racial divides in terms of access to the internet at home.
 
Practical Tips for Educators
 
As the learning landscape continues to shift and incorporate more digital resources, it is easy to feel helpless in our endeavors to ensure all students are future ready when they do not have the same digital access outside of the classroom. So, what can we do?
Here are a few actionable steps to help narrow the digital divide and level the playing field for students.

1. Do your homework. Talk to students and parents to identify what access (or lack thereof) exists among families in your classroom. Do they have broadband internet or a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone? What devices can they access (PC, laptop, tablet, phone, etc.)? Do your homework to find out what kind of digital inequity is present among your students.
2.  Research community partnerships. Reach out to local organizations to learn about the accessibility opportunities that already exist within your community. Talk to local libraries, other schools, and organizations to determine what digital access services they provide. Once you have information regarding existing digital access opportunities within your community, compile and share the information with other educators and families.
3.  Brainstorm. Invite others in your school and local community to come up with other ways to tackle the digital divide. Could your school open up computer labs to students and families in the evenings or before school? What other services is your local library able to provide? What community partnerships could you enact to help bridge the access gap? Don’t be afraid to get creative!

For more information on the digital divide in classrooms, see the following resources:
 

• The Pew Research Fact Sheet
• Digital Equity for Learning Research (sponsored by the Gates foundation):
• American Community Survey Reports on Computer and Internet Use in the US
• CBS News Story on Wi-Fi on California School Buses
• Watchworthy Wednesday: Closing the Homework Gap

 

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