Week 6 Reflection

1.  Does the Digital Divide exist in your school?

At our preschool which includes 60 families, this year we have only one family that does not have access to email.  In the years past, we typically have around 3-4 families who do not have access to email.   Because we have the large percent of families who are able to communicate via email, a lot of our documentation and school-wide communication happens via email.

In our wider school, I am sure that there is a larger percentage of families who are not online.   With more and more school assignments requiring access to a computer, there needs to be school-based back-ups and time allowed to use them.   Personally, right now the printer at our house is not communicating with the computers, which means that anything that my kids need to print out for school needs to be printed elsewhere.   My daughter reports that the school frowns on printing out work at school on the day that it is due, even if it was completed prior.   In middle school, my children's instrumental classes require the use of a computer to complete the assignments.  Both kids seem to enjoy the actual assignments because it is almost a videogame type of activity, where the student plays a piece of music into the microphone and then gets a score based on the notes, tempo, etc.  The immediate feedback is wonderful and the student can redo the assignment until it is mastered.  One drawback is that when our internet was down and an assignment is due, we have to schedule time before/after school to complete the assignment at school.

2.  What instructional strategies and approaches promote literacy integration while addressing the participation gap?  

I think the best instructional strategy is the incorporation of technology within the fabric of the class.   When there is class-time or school-time that can be used for tech time it can help to give computer time to those without access at home.

3. What responsbility do you have to bring technology experiences into your classroom?

I think that all teachers have some responsibility bringing technology into the classroom.   This may be in different formats and look different at various grade levels based on the availability of tech tools.   In the primary grades, it may be basic mouse manipulation, being able to drag and drop and navigate on the computer screen.  In the upper elementary grades, basic keyboarding and simpler tools can be added to the curriculum.  In the middle schools years, using more expressive tech tools to present information.  In the high school years, students can really take an even more creative role in using technology for the presentation of school work.