Use Your Teacher Voice! : Advocating for Techquity in Your Classroom and School Finding Ways to Provide a Technology Infused Environment for All Students

Three people working at a wooden table with snacks and a large number of electronic devices.

 By Sarah Said

Kids grow when they are in an environment where they are allowed to take risks and feel free to fail and try again. For our English Learners, the chance to be creative and think critically helps grow confidence and gives students opportunities for language practice. Also, knowing that all students are taking risks helps our English Learners take big steps in learning. This type of learning not only supports English Learners but all students.

In our schools, we do our best to provide the technology and instruction that goes along with it.  We know that access to devices is difficult for students living in homes that are at or below the poverty line. We do what we can to enrich our students’ lives regardless of what they have or where they live. We disrupt status quo to make a difference because it inspires our students to do so in their own lives. We know there is a need for “techquity”, a phrase used frequently by Ken Shelton. “Techquity” can help us bridge the achievement gap and “digital divide” while making learning relevant for our students regardless of their background.

Having used Google classroom in school where 98% of the students were from families considered at or below the poverty line, it wasn’t uncommon for me to see a child try to attempt to complete an assignment at home on a smartphone.  Some of my students were able to type entire essays on their smartphones. I was actually told by students that they would do this in a McDonalds because that was the only place they had access to free wifi in their community. Eighth Graders should NOT have to compose a piece of writing with their thumbs. They should not have to go to McDonalds to finish an assignment. This is not okay. I had to rethink my practices in the classroom because having a child go to a McDonalds at night to write an essay not only is uncomfortable for them, but in some situations is endangering their safety.  I moved to having essays only typed in class and providing extra time before school for them to work.

Unfortunately we are not in a perfect world where everything is divided up equally. New federal ESSA mandates have been put in place to attempt to equalize the playing field. “ESSA contains a number of new provisions that can be used to advance equity and excellence throughout our nation’s schools for students of color, low-income students, English learners, students with disabilities, and those who are homeless or in foster care.” (Cook-Harvey, Darling-Hammond, Lam, Mercer, & Roc, 2016)  The provisions to equalize the playing field for all students are organized into Four Pillars. The following are the Four Pillars:

  1. Higher Order Skills for All Students

  2. Multiple Measures to Assess School Performance and Progress

  3. Resource Equity

  4. Equity Strategies and Evidence Based Interventions.

This blog post will zero in on “Resource Equity” and “Higher Order Skills for All Students”.  As a teacher, you can’t always control policy. You can use your teacher voice and push for change. Schools that service populations that need more support face two issues with innovation and technology usage in the classroom: 1) the resource issue… it’s a big one. 2) Sometimes teachers do not have the freedom to innovate because they are using a scripted curriculum that is supposed to help raise test scores. Oh yes...test scores. (Magiera, 2017)

According to a bulletin from the Southern Education Foundation called “The New Majority”, fifty-one percent of our nation’s children come from homes that are at or above the poverty line. Many of our students come from homes where a parent or guardian is living paycheck to paycheck and may not be able to purchase the latest and greatest device and at times even pay for wi-fi. These communities are largely impacted by the “digital divide”.  The schools may not always have the resources to support innovative instruction. Therefore, this post will discuss the issues teachers and administrators face at hand with providing a tech infused classroom. It will also give tips and solutions to teachers who may not have all of the resources to provide this instruction.

“Resource Equity” and “Higher Order Skills for All Students” go hand in hand.  Without the devices, professional development, and materials it is difficult for schools to create an environment that provides learning experiences that allow students to be creative and innovative with their thinking. Does that mean that we cannot provide those environments?  No, we can. We just have to be more creative with our thinking when the resources aren’t as equitable as we would hope for them to be. 

The politics of even innovating instruction also make it hard for teachers in some areas to take risks in their classrooms. Teachers really need to work with their administrative teams to partner in being leaders in learning. You do have the power to advocate for policy within your district or even on social media.  In a diplomatic way, you should. Rather than standing back and admiring the problem, you have the power to advocate for solutions within your classroom. Use your teacher voice...

Acquiring Resources

You don’t have to be 1 :1 to have innovation…

I’ve heard teachers say, “I can’t use technology in my classroom because my school has one chromebook cart per grade level and I have to share with another teacher.” or “We really don’t have devices.”  Yes, this is true. There are schools, lots of schools, that are lacking the resources to go 1:1 or even 3:1. Understand this, not every student has to be on their own device in order for you classroom to benefit from technology.  You can play with cooperative learning structures and learning stations.

I observed a classroom in a school in the city of Chicago where a middle school social studies teacher provided a technology rich environment.  She only used six devices. She was a history teacher who was beginning a unit on the “Roaring 20’s”. Within the lesson, she had students rotate to different stations that had modules that displayed different aspects of the 1920’s.  Students watched and discussed the modules in groups of four. In their groups, they had to answer questions related to the time period that were knowledge based but also evaluative of the content. Then, the class shared their content out and reviewed it. This teacher was able to implement a full technology infused lesson without large amounts of devices in her room.

How can you get resources if you don’t have them?

Besides being resourceful, you can always crowd source to fundraise for your classroom online.  Years ago, I wanted an ELMO projector in the inner city classroom that I taught in.(Yes, I know, not super innovative.)  I knew that they school did not have the resources to buy me one. I created a “Donors Choose” page.  After a couple of months, I got the resources I needed.  This is great for getting small tech items into your classroom. You sign up, you explain who your students are and what you need.  You then pick the materials you need. It is up to you to market the page to people you know in order to get donations.

There are simple mini or micro grants that can help you acquire resources for your classroom. The best place to find these grants is “The Big List of Educational Grants” from Edutopia.  This list gets updated frequently.  I have seen grants for everything on here from simple classroom supplies to 3D printers to resources for school gardens.  This list has grants that range from 2,000 to 200,000 dollars to support classrooms and schools.

Besides having devices in students hands for learning, schools are now building makerspaces.  A makerspace does not have to be a space with all of these pricey robotics. Simple tools, supplies, and electronics can be brought into a makerspace for students to innovate with.  Those resources can be found in garages, thrift stores, and local recycling places. Makerspaces can be used to make small devices and machines or create handmade books for writing projects. You don’t have to have massive spaces to create make spaces.  You can put one in the back of your classroom or a spot in the school library. Makerspaces allow for critical thinking and innovation for all students. They give students who are English Learners the freedom to express themselves in a different way that may build confidence.  

The other resource that teachers say they lack is professional development.  Yes, professional development is so important for a technology infused environment. Some schools and districts have the funds for this, and some do not.  Many local affiliates of teachers unions and cooperatives offer opportunities during and outside of the school day for professional development.

The other option for professional development that a lot of people have caught onto is Twitter. Yes, Twitter. You can learn a lot from what your colleagues post. Also, there are Twitter chats and Twitter book clubs that you can follow.  I’m currently on a Google chat that I found on Twitter, to learn more about a book called Courageous Eduventures: Navigating Obstacles to Discover in Classroom Innovation by Jennie Magiera. We read the book weekly and then we post discussion points into a google group.  Seesaw, an application that helps teachers keep digital portfolios has a “PD in Pajamas” series. This series of webinars explores using the software instructionally.  You can view the series for free, at home, and in your pajamas. This is all free or very low cost PD that can help you build the innovative environment that you chose to build. The professional development that you acquire will help you come up with plan that will guide you on how to use your technology to benefit your students.  Read this Confianza blog about the why and how to get started with Twitter for PD.

Providing Time and Scheduling to Give Students Access to Technology Within the School Day

Innovation can take place when appropriate time is given for that innovation.  This comes with a teacher planning an efficient lesson plan, but it also comes with school planning.  Schools need think about schedules that create the ability for their population to have access to technology if they are going to use proper methods of technology infusion and innovation to take place.

Schools have creative ways to support student innovation throughout the day. One way is through having a technology teacher push into the classroom in order to teach how to utilize the technology as the classroom teacher is focusing on the content.  Other schools have carts assigned at a certain time of the day or week per classroom so all students get a chance to use the devices in their schools.

There ways of giving students “innovation times” in their schedules throughout the day in the elementary, middle and high school levels. At the elementary level, these times can be integrated with science or social studies.  At the middle school and high school levels, we need to think about supporting students with applied technology courses.

Providing Students with Options To Be Successful in an Innovative Space

There are different modes of instruction that allow students to be successful in an innovative space.  These modes provide students with opportunities to view material before direct instruction and review it after direct instruction or allow students be create. Looking that these modes, will help you plan on how to use your technology. This can provide students, particularly English Learners with more time to access and master content. It can also give students a chance think critically and analytically.

  • Blended learning is a structure of digital learning where students learn from a combination of traditional learning and digital learning.  The traditional learning can take place in a school where the digital learning can take place in a school or at home. For English Learners, and others who may need language support, this gives students a chance to master content. Students also get choice in the pace of the content and the path they take to learn the content.

  • Personalized Learning is a structure where all teaching, learning and assessment is tailored towards individual student needs. The students can also have choice in how they want to learn and differentiation is based on students’ interests.

  • As stated above, makerspaces are incubators in schools where students can make creative ideas come to life.  A makerspace can have any material in it that students can tangibly use to create projects through innovation. Teachers serve as guides in the makerspace as students build. Makerspaces can support any content area from making books to publish a piece in Language Arts to making a car in Physics. It is up to the teacher how they want to use the space.  The space really allows for students to use their minds in a different way. These spaces are great ways to engage all students particularly English Learners.

In order for these modes of instruction to impact students in positive way, they have to be done with fidelity.  That fidelity comes from school and teacher commitment. That fidelity also comes with a realistic plan. Think of it this way, five to ten years from now, what will your students remember?  Are they going to remember the vocabulary quizzes you gave them? (If they do, please email your quizzes. I’d love to see how fun they are…) Or, are they going to remember the car they built out of cardboard with a pencil sharpener motor?  Are they going to remember your lecture last week? Or, are they going to remember the cool Flipgrid discussion you had as a class? Think about that as you begin to plan your lessons for the week. Use your teacher voice… advocate for resources...advocate for professional development… and most importantly advocate for the students who need you to advocate for them. Techquity.

Applications to Explore

For Student Voice

  • Flipgrid- Students can create discussion videos.

For Literacy

For Writing

  • Write Reader - This application offers a book making platform.

  • Padlet - This application offers a writing collaboration platform.

For Digital Portfolios

  • Seesaw - This is a digital journal platform that helps teachers track student progress through qualitative evidence.

Citations

Curriculum and Instruction, Family Student Engagement, Professional LearningEmily Sienkiewicz4c