How can technology help drive equity in our schools? Here are seven ideas to get you started:
- Tools for citizenship. Shaping students into responsible citizens is central to the role of education. As more and more of our lives are lived in digital spaces, it is essential for educators to use the technology tools available to support this work.
- Amplify student voice. When students don’t have voice at school they often have ill-prepared voice in the streets. Technology tools coupled with a culture of create, make and design can support this work.
- Know your message. Student with quality communication and presentation skills are more college and career ready. Quality teaching and learning about presenting and displaying ideas through presentation can support these skills.
- Virtual field trips. Closing the experience gap is a huge step to growing education equity. One way that schools are doing this is through growing opportunities through virtual field trips.
- Thin classroom walls. Community-based learning allows students the opportunity to have a sense of place. Technology allows this learning to happen without pause. Students taking their devices into the community can support healing and understanding.
- Always at school. Many students in high-poverty, low income areas struggle to maintain high attendance for a number of reasons. Twenty-four-hour access to high-quality devices can limit the loss of instructional time and continue the learning momentum.
- Virtual connections. Virtual mentorships enable us to surround our students in need with as many caring adults as a possible. Thin classrooms walls allow experts to make meaningful connections with kids.
Robert Dillon serves the students and community of the Affton School District as director of technology and innovation. Prior to this, he served as a teacher and administrator in public schools throughout St. Louis. Dillon has a passion to change the educational landscape by building excellent engaging schools for all students. He looks for ways to ignite positive risk taking in teachers and students and release trapped wisdom into the system by growing networks of inspired educators.
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