ZIELEZINSKI M. What Research Tells Us About... Using Technology to Support Underserved Students. Education Digest [serial online]. November 2016;82(3):30-34. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 9, 2017.
Use of technology in classrooms has exploded over the past few decades, and with schools trying to determine what tech and how much tech to bring in their schools' many students are being left behind. “Unacceptably low levels of minority, low income English Language Learners, and special education students are graduating from high school (Zielezenski, 2016).
In her article, “Using Technology to support underserved students”, Zielezinski illustrates that although technology is available to many students it is being used incorrectly.
Zielezinski argues that the main issue with technology in schools is that it is being used for remediation. She goes on to explain that, “students who are black, Hispanic, or low-income are more likely to use technology for drill and practice, whereas students who are white or high income are more likely to use computers for simulations or authentic applications” (Zielezenski, 2016). This is one issue I have seen in many educational settings throughout my career as a teacher. In some scenarios, the teachers are not comfortable with technology especially when it comes to teaching students how to use certain programs to create original content.
In order to truly use technology effectively in our school's teachers must be trained on how to use and teach various forms of tech. For technology to reach its potential and achieve equity for underserved students then we as educators must be able to pick digital tools that promote discovery and the ability to create. “Content creation when done well allows students to communicate their own ideas creatively” (Zielezenski). This allows teachers to teach valuable skills to their students, engage them in their classes, and give students the opportunity to be creators rather than consumers of tech.
Teachers, like students, need to be taught how to use these programs in order to make a lasting impression on underserved students. Ultimately this needs to be a top-down approach with school districts offering courses to teach their teachers what programs they can use.
As stated before, there is no going back with technology it is here to stay in our schools. Although there is an increasing importance put on technology in the classes the teachers are just as vital. As we navigate the landscape of the “blended format” and teachers introduce more technology in their classrooms it is essential that teachers use technology for authentic tasks that develop and engage students.
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