Don’t Believe “Don’t Be Evil” My own concerns about the direction of education technology cannot be separated from my concerns with digital technologies more broadly. Indeed, the World Bank issued a report in January arguing that digital technologies – not just robots in factories – stand to widen inequalities as well, “and even hasten the hollowing out of middle-class employment.” Education Technology and Digital Polarization. MORE

However, in other scenarios, students are engaged with lower-level uses of technology such as test preparation, reading static online content, and seemingly endless drill and practice exercises. This is leading to an emerging “second level digital divide” in US schools, fueled by differences in how technology is utilized to advance teaching and learning. The post Addressing the Digital Learning Gap with Effective Educator Coaching appeared first on Digital Promise. MORE

Two very different and promising lines of research might form the foundation of a new set of design principles for digital equity. Researchers at Stanford have identified achievement gaps between students from developed and developing countries in MOOCs, and early findings suggest that simple exercises to encourage a sense of belonging in an online community can substantially reduce those gaps. By John Hansen and Justin Reich. MORE

The digital divide raised similar concerns: If no phone numbers work for a family, if emails remain unanswered, how can counselors gauge the welfare of a child? “It’s In this screenshot from Megan Bledsoe’s YouTube channel, the Discovery Middle School counselor shares lessons with students about the importance of exercise, keeping a schedule and processing grief. MORE

The greatest problem exposed is the digital divide caused by the economic divide. Zip codes still determine quality of education even more in a digital system. There are many drawbacks in digital systems that were less of an obstacle in face-to-face environments. Getting to kids of large families with only one digital device in the family is a big issue. Giving individual time to each student digitally is another problem that needs to be addressed. MORE

Unfortunately, school closures have meant a step backward for many when it comes to the digital divide. I was nervous about the loss of getting to see his teacher, but she, like so many educators across the country, has bridged the physical divide and is very present in our lives through Zoom class meetings, one-on-one Facetime lessons, and supportive social media messages. I am inspired and encouraged by the innovations I’m seeing in schools and homes across the country. MORE

For years policymakers have fretted about the “digital divide,” that poor students are less likely to have computers and high-speed internet at home than rich students. “Access to hardware is less of an issue,” said Kevin Clark, director of the Center for Digital Media Innovation and Diversity at George Mason University. “It’s not a technology divide, it’s a content divide. They need exercise and free play. MORE

We have made great strides to level the technology playing field in education, but unfortunately the digital divide still exists between those who have the tools to research, learn and collaborate online at home, and those who don’t. 1 Further, there’s a second level digital divide 2 that’s emerging in the classroom. Impacting family literacy, with a focus on addressing the digital divide through digital literacy and ready access. MORE

At the beginning of the 21st century, the definition of digital equity revolved around the provision of a digital device to every student. As digital equity discussions matured and hyperbole became reality, educators found that those loudly-touted digital devices often became paperweights. Turns out — and not really a surprise — the cost of the digital devices was minor compared to the cost of the websites and webtools required to meet goals. MORE

” Campus emergency plans and exercises seem to be being updated and tested. My readers know that the digital divide means unequal access to bandwidth, which can limit use of video and large files. For example, according to the data aggregated by Worldometer : If this data bears out – or, more importantly, if most people believe and act upon it – then we could see efforts to enroll senior citizens become more digital. MORE

” Campus emergency plans and exercises seem to be being updated and tested. My readers know that the digital divide means unequal access to bandwidth, which can limit use of video and large files. For example, according to the data aggregated by Worldometer : If this data bears out – or, more importantly, if most people believe and act upon it – then we could see efforts to enroll senior citizens become more digital. MORE

For example, their first graders start the day with a mindful exercise at 8:00 am, then dig into a writing prompt by 8:15, and they are expected to jump online by 9:15. This is exactly why the digital divide is so damaging during the current pandemic. Without digital resources, some students have more access to their teachers—in all subjects—than other students. MORE

To date, these statistics are: 140 million+ lessons delivered, 500 million+ exercises done, and 6+ million unique visits per month. Next challenge: we have to bridge the digital divide for kids @irasocal: There are few bigger frauds in American than Sal Khan #NSBAconf Khan Academy is not a silver bullet that will fix education and improve achievement as a stand-alone entity. MORE

Cross-posted from Digital Promise Addressing the Digital Learning Gap with Effective Educator Coaching JULY 26, 2017 | BY KAREN CATOR In 2014, I wrote – The problem with education in America is not the lack of excellence. However, in other scenarios, students are engaged with lower-level uses of technology such as test preparation, reading static online content, and seemingly endless drill and practice exercises. Karen Cator is President & CEO of Digital Promise. MORE