Can Technology in Education Cross the Poverty Divide?

Technology in education has revolutionized how teaching is happening throughout our country but it is possible that some are being left out of this wave of innovation and progress. Similar to prior generations a large mass of children live in poverty or near poverty and fail to obtain the access to education that they need to prosper as adults. In a recent report by ETS Center for Research on Human Capital and Education author Richard J., Coley connected the linkage between child poverty and education and what if anything could be done.   

As Mr. Coley pointed out childhood poverty is endemic in our country. He cites such factors as an amazingly high child poverty rate of 20%. He also points out that even though the U.S. ranks as one of the richest countries in the world it holds the simultaneous distinction of having the second highest poverty level if prosperous countries. He then goes on to link educational success with economic advantage. Simply put those who have access to a good education will receive access to the riches of adulthood. Therefore if a school and its teachers are to prepare our students for college and future success we must work to educate all our students rich and poor. .

Technology plays a positive role in education for those students who have access to it but might serve as an additional barrier to those that do not.  On the one hand those raised in high poverty schools simply do not have access to technology for learning. In the article Using Technology to Support At-Risk Students Learning published by Standard Center for Opportunity Policy in Education, authors Hammond, Zielezinski, and Goldman identify that there are huge disparities in access to the internet across socioeconomic groups. Furthermore their research indicated that less than 10% of students in high poverty schools had the digital tools they need to do work at home. Furthermore they assert that even when technology is deployed in the class environment the results are mixed and do not meet the lofty promises of success.

However, these same authors do believe that it maybe possible to close part of the gap. In their article they publish three factors that are needed for technology instruction for high risk students. These include: interactive learning, creating and exploring and finding a proper technology blend. It is their belief that using such techniques could help improve education in high poverty areas.

But the reality still remains. As some schools aggressively implement and utilize education technology other less fortunate schools do not and their students do not keep pace. This creates a dilemma for a teacher. How can a teacher implement technology in an effective and reasonably fair way. If some of the instructor’s students do not have access to technology resources at home where others do, how should homework be levied? In class where should the teacher’s attention go, to the student who  does not understand the software or hardware or to the student who is tech savvy and working on content?  

One company that is using the technology to bridge the gap is Dell with their Youth Learning Program, A global initiative designed to use technology to improve education among the less privileged.

Youth Learning

In other cases government are intervening to promote technology among the poor.

Public Funding of Technology

Perhaps there is no one single answer but I am sure there are numerous ways that teachers, schools and communities can teach for the betterment of all their students not just the more privileged.

References:
1. Image 1: https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&q=education%20technology%20images&tbs=sur:fmc