For the next entry in a series on what keeps educators from using technology in their classrooms, The Whiteboard Jungle will investigate the weighty impact of poverty.
If you haven't done so yet, be sure to read Part 1 (history/psychology), Part 2 (lack of time) and Part 3 (resistance to learning) so you are up to speed and ready to proceed!
Misconception #3 - Some students don't have access to technology at home, so how can we expect them to do it?
This is a real issue that must be addressed, not just explained away. Childhood poverty is a major issue in the United States. As of 2000, Denmark, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom all had much better poverty rates than the United States.
So what do we do when faced with this question? It's a fact:  some students will not have access to a computer at home. Some may have a computer, but no internet. But is this a reason to abandon technology altogether? Not a chance. Granted, with every district's demographic being different, different situations will arise, but there are some solutions to kids who don't have the ability to plug in at home. It is imperative in these cases that teachers don't avoid exposing students to technology. Doing so is a double disadvantage because it leaves these students with no exposure in the school and home, and puts them far behind classmates in the workforce or at the college level when they are ready to graduate.
So What to Do?
Scenarios will play out differently depending on circumstances and school and community resources, but here are some ways that you can help a student access technology in the event that doing so at home is not an option:
- Encourage Use After School – Most schools provide extended time after school for students to make up work, use the library, to be held for extra remediation, or for punitive consequences for misbehavior. Encourage students to use technology available at the school during this time. If a project is media-rich, teaching students to prioritize getting assignments done that require computers during this time also makes educators available to provide help should they struggle. Paper and pencil assignments that can be completed home, should be. This prioritization and organizational skill will go well beyond your class.
- The Public Library – If at all possible, encourage students and parents to use the public library. Many communities have libraries that offer free internet service or have small fees for use. It also provides students with a quiet place to get work done and plenty of resources are available with a library card, which are almost always free or that have a small fee.
- Special Programs for Underprivileged Kids – Many companies, like Dell, have programs that help get computers for disadvantaged kids. Dell's "Learn and Earn Program" gives students the parts and knowledge that they need to build their own computer. Some schools donate older machines to impoverished families, and often community groups such as FreeCycle and ReUseIt offer used computers for free to anyone who wants them. I have used both services to get computers donated to my classroom. Consider donating an old machine to the group in your area.
- Tailor the Lesson to the Class's Need - If this is a significant issue with a particular class, consider swapping in-class activities that don't require a computer with out-of-class activities that do. Assigning reading or writing in a journal for homework, and giving class-time to complete a collaborative presentation may remove some of the issues of access.
Ignoring the Problem is Never the Solution
Are there cases where none of these solutions will work? Of course. But to ignore technology because of student poverty is almost unconscionable. Students need to be able to use computers in almost every facet of the workforce beyond high school. While there are many industries that might not require computer use at the entry level, most industries can be benefited by computers. Even a beet farmer could benefit from using a spreadsheet to track expenses, income, and production trends. Using lack of availability at home as an excuse almost never cuts it.
Next Blog: Misconception #4 - As soon as I understand it, it is just going to change
Resources:
OECD's Poverty Rate Study
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5553/is_200108/ai_n21529447
http://www.freecycle.org/
http://www.reuseitnetwork.org/
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Re: Overcoming Inertia: Inhibitions and Anxiety of Using Technology in the Class
