Unequal Access to Technology in U.S. Public Schoo

Unequal Access to Technology in United States Public Schools: 

Unequal Access to Technology in United States Public Schools By Lisa Kowite for ECI 511

Apparent Equality: 

Apparent Equality Internet access in public schools has increased since 1994. Just three percent of public schools had internet access in 1994. By 2003, 93 percent of public schools had access (Table 1). By 2005, 94 percent of public schools had access. Continue End

Table 1. Apparent Equality: 

Table 1. Apparent Equality Percentage of Schools in the United States with Internet Access Continue End Back

Access Does not Equal Success: 

Access Does not Equal Success However, merely giving schools access to the internet does not ensure the technology will be used well. The physical presence of computers in classrooms does not automatically mean students will use them to meaningful ends. Students and teachers must have the technology, be motivated to use it, and have ongoing support. This is not happening in all schools. Rural schools, schools with high-minority enrollment, and high-poverty schools (those with high populations of students who receive free or reduced lunch) often are below the national average with regard to access and meaningful usage of different types of technology. View Statistics End

Unequal Ownership of Home Computers Negatively Affects Technology Integration at School : 

Unequal Ownership of Home Computers Negatively Affects Technology Integration at School Overall Internet use at home and school for Latino and Black children is 47.8% and 52.3%, respectively compared to Asian American(79.4%) and White children (79.7%), who are far more likely to use the Internet. Teachers are more likely to use technology in class when their students have ready access to computers at home. End Next Statistic

Classroom Use of Technology: 

Classroom Use of Technology Eighty-nine percent of low-poverty schools use high quality digital content in instruction versus 85 percent of high-poverty schools. Next Statistic End

Use of School Web Site or Class Web Page to Disseminate Information: 

Use of School Web Site or Class Web Page to Disseminate Information Forty-one percent of city schools post messages, versus 35 percent of rural schools. Forty-three percent of low-minority schools post messages, versus 41 percent of high-minority schools. Forty-one percent of low-poverty schools post messages, versus 39 percent of high-poverty schools. View chart End Next Statistic

Percentages of Schools that Use Technology to Disseminate Information: 

Percentages of Schools that Use Technology to Disseminate Information Next Statistic End Back

Percentages of Schools that Communicate Policies about Preventing Student Access to Inappropriate Material on Internet at School: 

Percentages of Schools that Communicate Policies about Preventing Student Access to Inappropriate Material on Internet at School Ninety-seven percent of low-minority schools communicate with parents as part of school policy, versus 91 percent of high-minority schools. Ninety-six percent of low-poverty schools communicate with parents as part of school policy, versus 94 percent of high-poverty schools. View Chart End Next Statistic

Percentages of Schools that Communicate Policies about Preventing Student Access to Inappropriate Material on Internet at School: 

Percentages of Schools that Communicate Policies about Preventing Student Access to Inappropriate Material on Internet at School Next Statistic End Back

Percentage of Public Schools without Laptop Computers Available for Loan : 

Percentage of Public Schools without Laptop Computers Available for Loan Two percent of city schools do not have laptops for students to borrow, versus five percent of rural schools. Two percent of low-poverty schools do not have laptops for students to borrow, versus six percent of high-poverty schools. View Chart End Next Statistic

Percentage of Public Schools without Laptop Computers Available for Loan: 

Percentage of Public Schools without Laptop Computers Available for Loan Next Statistic End Back

Percentage of Public Schools Lending Laptop Computers to Students: 

Percentage of Public Schools Lending Laptop Computers to Students Fifteen percent of low-minority schools lend laptops to students, versus seven percent of high-minority schools. Eleven percent of low-poverty schools lend laptops to students, versus six percent of high-poverty schools. View chart End Next Statistic

Percentage of Public Schools Lending Laptop Computers to Students: 

Percentage of Public Schools Lending Laptop Computers to Students Next Statistic End Back

Percentage of Schools that Provide Handhelds to Students for Instructional Use: 

Percentage of Schools that Provide Handhelds to Students for Instructional Use Nine percent of city schools versus seven percent of rural schools Nine percent of low-minority schools versus six percent of high-minority schools Nine percent of low-poverty schools versus six percent of high-poverty schools View chart End Next Statistic

Percentage of Schools that Provide Handhelds to Students for Instructional Use: 

Percentage of Schools that Provide Handhelds to Students for Instructional Use Next Statistic End Back

Students per Computer with Internet Access: 

Students per Computer with Internet Access In 2003, the average number of students per computer with internet access was 4.4. The number in low-poverty schools was 4.2 versus 5.1 in high-poverty schools. Updated for 2005 End

Students per Computer with Internet Access: 

Students per Computer with Internet Access In 2005, the ratio of students to computers was still not equal between low- and high-minority schools and between low- and high-poverty schools. Continue End

So What Should Be Done?: 

So What Should Be Done? Give teachers support Choose affordable hardware and software Centralize technology acquisition across districts Address social justice issues of unequal computer use and ownership in homes End

Support for Teachers: 

Support for Teachers Teachers need continuous guidance on how to best use types of hardware and software in classrooms. Motivate teachers to participate in professional development courses to learn how to incorporate technology into curriculum. Back to What Should Be Done End

Making Hardware and Software Affordable: 

-fewer purchases -avoids necessity of training students and teachers to use multiple types of technology Making Hardware and Software Affordable Purchase materials that can be used over a period of several years and in several different areas of the curriculum Back to What Should Be Done End

Centralizing Acquisition of Technology : 

Centralizing Acquisition of Technology takes pressure off of the principal, who is often responsible for dealing with several different suppliers, which can lead to incompatibilities Back to What Should Be Done End

Make Computers Affordable to All Homes: 

Make Computers Affordable to All Homes For teachers to best be able to use technology in class, students need to have internet access beyond the classroom as well. View References End

References: 

Fishman, B., Soloway, E., Krajcik, J., & Marx, R. Creating Scalable and Systemic Technology Innovations for Urban Education. 1-23. National Center for Education Statistics . (2007). Internet access in U.S. public schools and classrooms: 1994–2003. Retrieved June 8, 2007, from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/frss/publications/2005015/ National Center for Education Statistics . (2007). Internet access in U.S. public schools and classrooms: 1994–2005. Retrieved June 9, 2007, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/2007020.pdf Valadez, J. R. & Duran , R. (2007). Redefining the digital divide. The High School Journal, 90(3), 31-44. References End