Page 12 - AASBO EDGE Summer 2023 WEB
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TECHNOLOGY
BY ALBERT MAGALLANEZ AASBO Director of Information - Technology
Why Digital Equity Is So Important
Albert Magallanez
When I entered education technology 24 years What does this mean for K-12 education? The
ago, digital equity meant a student-to-computer most common model school districts handle
ratio of 6:1 – at least in the district I started digital equity by providing access to the internet
my career. Nearly all of the classrooms in the and technology at their sites for those students
district had at least six networked computers. who may not have adequate access at home.
Since then, the term digital equity has taken Recent years have seen school districts adopt
on a whole new meaning. As defined by the a 1:1 student computing model – assigning
National Digital Inclusion Alliance (https:// laptops or mobile devices to students for their
www.digitalinclusion.org/definitions/), digital educational use. While this model works, it
equity is a condition in which all individuals and breaks down when those students do not have
communities have the information technology reliable access to high-speed internet at home.
capacity needed for full participation in our
society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity
is necessary for civic and cultural participation, The recent pandemic has shown public school
employment, lifelong learning, and access to districts just how important access to reliable
essential services. high-speed internet had become. When school
districts had to make the switch to remote and
online learning, we saw firsthand how not
It is important to note here the use of “equity” having adequate internet service at home made
vs. “equality.” When we use the word equity, we it difficult for students to participate fully
accurately acknowledge the systemic barriers in remote or online learning. As a stop-gap
that must be dismantled before achieving measure, some schools tried to address this
equality for all. As defined by ChatGTP, K-12, by providing students with internet hotspots
digital equity refers to ensuring that all students or mobile devices with internet plans. While
in kindergarten through twelfth grade have mobile hot spots worked for some families,
equal access to technology and digital resources school districts found that was not the case for
that can support their learning and success in all students. Issues such as service location, and
school. This includes providing students with the number of students in the household proved
access to high-speed internet, digital devices that the hotspots were not sufficient to provide
such as laptops or tablets, educational software adequate access to students. Moving beyond
and applications, and digital literacy skills the pandemic, these types of solutions are not
training. cost-effective and are not adequate long-term
solutions.
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12 THE EDGE SUMMER 2023
