Across the country, educators are finding innovative ways to integrate technology into their curricula, allowing students to develop apps, speak with astronauts aboard the International Space Station, and create and publish e-books. These opportunities are increasingly important as technology advances and becomes more critical to the workforce. However, they are not available to all students. Students from marginalized communities often don’t have the chance to engage with technology meaningfully. Instead, they are limited to using technology for digital worksheets, watching videos, or emailing teachers. These passive uses of technology lack rigor and present little opportunity for students to develop necessary digital skills or be exposed to new creative uses of technology.
This divide stems from a lack of access to devices, but even students who have access often lack adequate knowledge to utilize them effectively. Teachers also typically lack training in embedding technology into their curricula meaningfully. This gap in educational technology is commonly referred to as the digital divide.
The U.S. Department of Education defines the digital divide through three distinct barriers: digital access, digital design, and digital use:
- The digital access divide refers to “inequitable access to connectivity, devices, and digital content.”
- The digital design divide refers to inequitable access to professional learning for educators.
- The digital use divide refers to inequitable implementation of assignments that utilize technology meaningfully.
This issue brief highlights resources that states and districts can access to close the digital divide and presents a case for future policymaking that addresses technological advancements proactively.
In a world of rapidly advancing technology, it is vital for students to be comfortable with and knowledgeable about technology. At best, students should be exposed to various types of technology used in the workforce. At a minimum, students should be comfortable with creating documents, researching credible sources, and other basic computer skills. This knowledge is critical for college and career readiness.
When integrated effectively, technology can increase student engagement, improve collaboration, and promote choice in student-centered learning while giving students practice with basic digital skills and exposure to more advanced skills. Digital literacy includes technical and cognitive skills necessary for thriving in an increasingly digital world.
In the United States, one-third of new jobs created in the past 25 years did not exist before. The advancement of artificial intelligence alone is predicted to create 20 million to 50 million new jobs globally by 2030 in fields such as health care, finance, and technology. Many high-demand jobs today were created in the past decade.
Despite growing interest in implementing meaningful educational technology integration in classrooms successfully due to historic funding from the Biden-Harris administration addressing COVID-19 impacts on K-12 schools challenges persist in other forms of digital access design use While fewer than 10 percent of teachers report not having personally assigned learning devices barriers connectivity still exist In a 2022 survey from Project Tomorrow more than one-third teachers reported insufficient internet access nearly 60 percent students reported slow inconsistent connectivity Moreover rural communities experience additional barriers accessing internet home Lack internet computer home sets further back study showing regardless socioeconomic status students computer scored higher nationwide math assessments
Additional challenges lie designing curricula integrate meaningful When surveyed educators school staff frequently report significant challenges effective curriculum include lack support materials sufficient training time become familiar technologies While increase teacher comfort using more work needs done encourage innovative actively A survey found primarily passively classroom taking online quizzes tests Administrators similar findings seventy percent schools reporting teachers traditionally without fewer half integrating activities could before
To address K-12 schools equitably integrates meaningful ways federal government provided guidance U.S Department Education funding states districts multiple pieces legislation National Educational Technology Plan developed released call action close divides limiting potential teaching learning provides recommendations close divides design meaningful experiences Some key recommendations NETP report Digital Establish maintain cabinet-level edtech director ensure wise effective spending funds Conduct regular needs assessments ensure properly supports Leverage public/private partnerships community collaboration bring broadband previously under-connected areas ensure everywhere-all-the-time Design Develop Portrait Educator outlining cognitive personal interpersonal competencies educators should design help develop attributes outlined profile graduate Design sustain systems support ongoing learning veteran administrators providing time space needed aligned Universal Design Learning Framework Develop processes evaluating potential effectiveness tools purchase including research evidence Use Develop rubrics resource adoptions accessible integrated larger ecosystem support principles customized response accommodation modification learners disabilities Review subject area curricula program scopes sequences ensure build age-appropriate active Build public-private partnerships local businesses higher education institutions nonprofit organizations help edtech-enabled hands-on work-based experiences To fund implementation recommendations utilize existing federal grants including Every Student Succeeds Act ESSA Individuals Disabilities Education IDEA Infrastructure Investment Jobs IIJA
Every Student Succeeds Act primary federal law provides funds public some may support classroom closing Allowable Titles I-IV Office Educational Technology Title Improving Basic Programs Operated Local Educational Agencies Provide resources staff supported comprehensive needs assessment schoolwide plan Title schoolwide programs targeted assistance Provide opportunities ongoing job-embedded collaborative digitally-literate professional learning Title Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants Hire coaches tailor professional development individual assistance equitably integrating instruction Support programs implement systems supports learn effectively data improve decision-making improvement efforts protect privacy Title English Language Acquisition State Provide supplemental principals leaders provide effective instruction ELs through methods Improve instruction disability acquiring upgrading programs using software materials languages other English Title Student Support Academic Enrichment Help better discover share content training find adapt relevant Open Educational Resources Build capacity infrastructure purchasing devices equipment software applications address shortfalls
Individuals Disabilities Education Act federal law guarantees disabilities free appropriate public Some IDEA Part Assistance All Children Disabilities Improve classroom children enhance Support universal assistive maximize accessibility general curriculum Part State Personnel Development Grants Encourage training special general administrators early intervention transition services results effectively integrating Finally IIJA explicitly focus public education efforts increase broadband support literacy set forth billion investment largely deployment March Americans lacked fixed many rural Tribal low-income Broadband home academic achievement complete homework apply colleges trade schools encourage participation independent developing Internet For initiative devotes ensuring broadband continue utilizing provide all
In tech-driven must prioritize teaching engage develop century existing federal many inequitable implementing meaningful need additional Policymakers recognize importance closing supply skilled demands Looking forward policymakers invest equitable mechanisms most consider best adaptive policies allow researchers predict prepare advancements In there call update yearly previous cycle pace seen Yet released seven years later guide policymakers prioritize frequent collaboration researchers industry will grow rapid Creating proactive planning rather attempting reactively catch-up best way supporting preparing college careers
The author would like thank Sophia Applegate Weadé James Center American Progress valuable contributions brief
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