Diversity
Diversity includes a range of differences that can be found in schools that include special needs, ethnicity, socio- economic, language, and gender status. Including technology in a diverse environment allows students to be exposed to the use of technology to enhance, engage, and improve student development. Diversity is important to include so that every student gets the opportunity to use the technology while feeling included amongst classmates. As U.S. public schools continue to diversify, it is necessary for educators to find ways to meet all students’ needs in the classroom (Clausen & Greenhaigh, 2017). Teachers should improve in skills in modeling and facilitating digital tools to help with diversity.
At KIPP STRIVE Primary, every classroom has a projector, document camera, and presentation clicker. There is WiFi throughout the building. Grades K-1 all have five to six classroom computers, while grades 2-4 have access to four to five iPads. Upper grades have access to chrome books, but are often shared between grade level. With online testing such as MAP, and GA Milestones, grades 2 have limited access to the chrome books. There is a computer lab that is for all students, but through previous years, only grades 3 and 4 had access because of testing. Our principal realized that this caused lots of limitations for other grades. A plan has been set to improve the scheduling and rotation of the computer lab for the next school year. Our school being a charter school, most of the initiation to increase technology has been between teachers. Many teachers did Donors Choose to provide their individual classrooms with additional tools such as iPads and Chrome Books. But not every teacher completed this task. Some are still not sure how to conduct one while some don’t find the need to and would rather use what is provided. Members of administration are aware of the lack of technology that is provided during testing periods and have allowed teachers to initiate what they think is best for their classroom. Though the doors are open there is no norm set in place. Members of administration have reached out to those teachers, myself included, that are knowledgeable in the area of integrating technology to help improve the diversity.
Programs must not only be high quality but also ensure that the learning experiences provided enable leadership candidates to build the knowledge, skills, and experiences they will need to effectively lead the learning of diverse student populations (Young, 2015). Educators must understand the ISTE standards and developmentally appropriate digital tools for students P-12. For students with special needs, it is important to familiarize oneself with adaptive and assistive technology. Knowing about these tools and how they can be used for student development can help improve the way students learn in the classroom. Being able to teach other teachers on how to implement them in the classroom is important for students to be taught by a well-educated teacher that understands their needs. There are a majority of students who are of minority that do not have the access to different forms of technology.
Developing resources to improve school’s integration with technology helps both student and faculty development. Informing teachers, parents, and other stake holders about digital equality can help those of socio-economic status. Providing information that can help increase the use of technology is also very helpful to English Language Learners as well. Today many programs are bilingual and are very useful to those students who need more assistance learning another language. Software such as iRead works with emergent readers and communicates to students in both Spanish and English and has been known to help improve reading skills of those students. Online collaborative learning environments can have cognitive, sociocultural, and psychological advantages, including enhancing writing skills, critical thinking skills, and knowledge construction, while increasing participation, interaction, motivation, and reducing anxiety (Show Mei & Griffith, 2014).
As for gender, teachers tend to provide digital tools to boys rather than girls. Boy children, tend to have less of an attention span and are more likely to be provided with a digital tool to stabilize behavior. Girl students are least likely to use technology than boy students. Providing girl students extra time with digital tools can close the gap between boys use and girls use of technology. Creating a schedule for girl students to use technology can also help in this area.
Below you will see a list of activities promoted and completed to demonstrate diversity issues in today’s school.
References
Clausen, C. K., & Greenhaigh, S. D. (2017). Developing Technological Literacy with All
Students in Mind. Technology And Engineering Teacher, 77(1), 17-22.
Show Mei. L & Griffith, P. (2014). Impacts of Online Technology use in Second Language
Writing: A Review of the Literature. Reading Improvement, 51(3), 303-312.
Young, M. D. (2015). The Leadership Challenge: Supporting the Learning of All
Students. Leadership & Policy In Schools, 14(4), 389-410.
doi:10.1080/15700763.2015.1073330
At KIPP STRIVE Primary, every classroom has a projector, document camera, and presentation clicker. There is WiFi throughout the building. Grades K-1 all have five to six classroom computers, while grades 2-4 have access to four to five iPads. Upper grades have access to chrome books, but are often shared between grade level. With online testing such as MAP, and GA Milestones, grades 2 have limited access to the chrome books. There is a computer lab that is for all students, but through previous years, only grades 3 and 4 had access because of testing. Our principal realized that this caused lots of limitations for other grades. A plan has been set to improve the scheduling and rotation of the computer lab for the next school year. Our school being a charter school, most of the initiation to increase technology has been between teachers. Many teachers did Donors Choose to provide their individual classrooms with additional tools such as iPads and Chrome Books. But not every teacher completed this task. Some are still not sure how to conduct one while some don’t find the need to and would rather use what is provided. Members of administration are aware of the lack of technology that is provided during testing periods and have allowed teachers to initiate what they think is best for their classroom. Though the doors are open there is no norm set in place. Members of administration have reached out to those teachers, myself included, that are knowledgeable in the area of integrating technology to help improve the diversity.
Programs must not only be high quality but also ensure that the learning experiences provided enable leadership candidates to build the knowledge, skills, and experiences they will need to effectively lead the learning of diverse student populations (Young, 2015). Educators must understand the ISTE standards and developmentally appropriate digital tools for students P-12. For students with special needs, it is important to familiarize oneself with adaptive and assistive technology. Knowing about these tools and how they can be used for student development can help improve the way students learn in the classroom. Being able to teach other teachers on how to implement them in the classroom is important for students to be taught by a well-educated teacher that understands their needs. There are a majority of students who are of minority that do not have the access to different forms of technology.
Developing resources to improve school’s integration with technology helps both student and faculty development. Informing teachers, parents, and other stake holders about digital equality can help those of socio-economic status. Providing information that can help increase the use of technology is also very helpful to English Language Learners as well. Today many programs are bilingual and are very useful to those students who need more assistance learning another language. Software such as iRead works with emergent readers and communicates to students in both Spanish and English and has been known to help improve reading skills of those students. Online collaborative learning environments can have cognitive, sociocultural, and psychological advantages, including enhancing writing skills, critical thinking skills, and knowledge construction, while increasing participation, interaction, motivation, and reducing anxiety (Show Mei & Griffith, 2014).
As for gender, teachers tend to provide digital tools to boys rather than girls. Boy children, tend to have less of an attention span and are more likely to be provided with a digital tool to stabilize behavior. Girl students are least likely to use technology than boy students. Providing girl students extra time with digital tools can close the gap between boys use and girls use of technology. Creating a schedule for girl students to use technology can also help in this area.
Below you will see a list of activities promoted and completed to demonstrate diversity issues in today’s school.
- Coding Club for girls (gender diversity)
- Request of training for teachers to help assist students with adaptive technology (special needs diversity)
- Implementing digital equity for the community and staff members to improve the use of technology at home and at school. (socio-economic diversity)
- Modeling and facilitating innovative tools such as iPads with educational apps like SeeSaw, SplashMath, and Epic, to schools with low technology use. (Ethnicity and Language Diversity)
- Creating WebQuest to improve girls use with technology (gender and language diversity)
- Facilitating professional developments on emerging technology to improve faculty development (ethnicity and language diversity).
- Creating and implanting podcast to improve student engagement while including all students (special needs diversity).
References
Clausen, C. K., & Greenhaigh, S. D. (2017). Developing Technological Literacy with All
Students in Mind. Technology And Engineering Teacher, 77(1), 17-22.
Show Mei. L & Griffith, P. (2014). Impacts of Online Technology use in Second Language
Writing: A Review of the Literature. Reading Improvement, 51(3), 303-312.
Young, M. D. (2015). The Leadership Challenge: Supporting the Learning of All
Students. Leadership & Policy In Schools, 14(4), 389-410.
doi:10.1080/15700763.2015.1073330