Week 6

Does the Digital Divide exist in your school?
I think you would be hard pressed to find a school that does not have some sort of digital divide.  I am not saying that they are not out there- but perhaps they took steps to remedy the problem in their district.  We live in a pretty affluent town, yet last year our administrator told us that we qualified to be a Title 1 school.  This economy is going to play a huge role in the divide.  We all know that it is becoming harder and harder for the average family and the school budgets don’t allow them to help as much as they once could. 
In order to allow access to technologies in the district they have been putting SmartBoards in many of the classrooms.  We have 17 computers in the kiva, team area, and we have a computer lab that the teachers can sign out on a first come first served basis.  Is it perfect? No, but it is a start.
We are also required to make accommodations for our students who do not have access. We give class time to use computers, print out activities that would otherwise be on the computer, and many teachers who give up our lunch time to work with students who need to have access to computers.

What instructional strategies and approaches promote technology integration while addressing the participation gap?

In each of the elementary schools they have computer as one of their “specials.” This class meets once a week for the entire year.  In the middle school they have a course called “Tech Ed” and all kids take it for 1/3 of the year.  This allows all students to have access on a regular basis, even if it is limited.  I think that the incorporation of SmartBoards in the classroom helps with accessing technology.  I know that my classroom has it as well as my daughter’s kindergarten class and my son’s second grade class.  My daughter’s class also Skypes with a student who is unable to attend because of health issues.  She is always coming home with stories on Skype days.   
In the middle school we have a site license for Study Island.  It is a program that we use for Math and Language Arts instruction that is web-based and can provide instruction, practice, or assessment.  This program is available for the students can use in school and if they have internet access, at home.

What responsibility do you have, as an educator, to bring informating technology experiences into your classroom?
Simply put, of course it is our responsibility to incorporate informating technology in our classrooms.  How can we not?  We live in a digital age and technology will keep on growing and expanding.  I think that the most challenging thing as a teacher is staying on top of what is out there, and what is available to us.  That is why this experience has been invaluable to me.  I have learned so much from the others and know that I can integrate more activities into my teaching.   

Final Reflection:
As with all the courses so far- what matters to me the most is, what can I take away from it?  And, what can I use in my classroom?  This course has given me a nice little toolbox that I can choose from when thinking about units, lessons, activities, and projects to do with my 5th and 6th graders.  I think that actually having something that I can and will use makes all the work worthwhile.  Were there moments when I was frustrated by some of the technology- absolutely!  In the same sense we got through it. I now have a new appreciation for all that the other teachers do!  I didn't realize all the possibilities for using technology in the early primary and preschool grades until this course.  I mean, I know that they work hard and I know that I am not cut out to work with the little ones, but I now appreciate what they do that much more.  I am also more aware of the technology being used in my own children's classes- because I know what to ask them besides what did you do in school today?  And I cannot leave out the secondary people- wow, do they work hard too!  I think that for them staying fresh in the technology world is even more important than where I am.  I am always looking for new "stuff" but I could imagine at that level- there isn't much out there that the kids are not finding on their own.  Now we just need to teach them to use it appropriately and educationally.  No pressure.