Equitable access refers to all students having the chance to utilize the same technologies in the classroom, regardless of background, ability, or socio-economic status.
One component of ensuring equitable access is making sure the infrastructure can support a large number of devices. If only some devices are capable of connecting to the Internet in a given period, lessons built around that access would be unsuccessful. (CORE Education)
Another component would be making sure that all students actually have access to some sort of device. My high school is implementing a one-to-one initiative with iPads this August. All students will receive an iPad, as well as a charger and case with a built-in keyboard. One way we are ensuring equitable access is by allowing all students the chance to have a device. Teachers will need to be wary, however, of equity outside of the classroom. All students will have access to the internet while on campus, but many of our students may not have internet access at home. To ensure equity across the board, teachers should be careful about assigning work to be done at home that requires internet access. Teachers should allow students time to work on those assignments or projects in class.
The iPad also gives teachers the ability to ensure equitable access to students with disabilities. There are many assistive technology apps available - apps that speak for children with reading difficulties or have visual impairments, such as SpeakIt!; various note-taking apps with the ability to also record voice, such as Notability; and apps like Voice4U that give a voice to students who otherwise struggle with speaking by allowing them to express thoughts and feelings using icons. (Lynch, 2017)
The teacher also plays an important role in equitable access. Even if students have devices available, if a teacher never integrates that technology, or is incompetent on how to use it successfully, those students will not gain anything from the technology. To ensure equity, teachers across the school need to be on the same page with how to implement the technology and why it's important in education. My school system will be doing this by providing various hands-on professional development opportunities before the year begins in August (as well as throughout the year) to prepare teachers for this shift to one-to-one. These sessions will range from presentations by Apple leaders and technicians to some of our own staff teaching each other new and interesting ways to use various tools and apps on the iPads.
(CORE Education)
(CORE Education)
Equity Through Access: 21st Century Learning & the Necessity of 1-to-1
Ann Anders presents research on offering equitable access to technology as laid out in the National Education Technology Plan and the Every Student Succeeds Act, and also argues the necessity of one-to-one initiatives in schools.
A Study of Teacher Perceptions of Instructional Technology Integration in the Classroom
This 2008 study by Lynette Gorder looked at how teachers were currently integrating technology into the classroom, and whether or not any differences existed based on various factors such as years of experience or gender. This study is a support to the statement above that teachers must be actively integrating technology for learning purposes, not simply as ways to display lessons.
Technology in K-12 Mathematics Classrooms
This report by three students from Texas A&M University also outlines the importance of offering equitable access by having supportive infrastructure, easy access to devices, and supporting teachers in the learning and implementation of new technologies in the classroom.
Sources Used: (CORE Education), (Lynch, 2017)