Name: Digital Citizenship Project: Impact of Emergency Online Teaching on the Digital Divide ＆ Digital Equity in P-12 Educational Settings
Uploaded: 2022-06-17
Duration: 15 min 25 s
Description: Open Chromebook laptop computer. Component Detail.

Open Chromebook laptop computer. Component Detail. 

Scene 1

Digital  Citizenship  Project: Impact of Emergency Online Teaching on the Digital Divide ＆ Digital Equity in P-12 Educational Settings

Group Members:. Bridget Barlow Thomas Edwards Amanda Howard James McGriff. 

Scene 2

Bridget Barlow Thomas Edwards Amanda Howard James McGriff

Guiding Questions: Was remote teaching during the pandemic a valid solution? Moreover, was it a fair solution to the shutdown of schools and institutions?. 

Scene 3

Guiding Questions: Was remote teaching during the pandemic a valid solution? Moreover, was it a  fair  solution to the  shutdown  of schools and institutions?

Impact of Emergency Online Teaching on the Digital Divide: Exploring how remote learning affected teachers and students of all grade levels.. 

Scene 4

Impact of Emergency Online Teaching on the Digital Divide: Exploring how remote learning affected teachers and students of all grade levels.

Challenge #1: Rerouting a lesson plan to fit a remote setting. 

Scene 5

Challenge #1: Rerouting a lesson plan to fit a remote setting

Covid forced teachers to use technology to teach their lessons Taking a previously made lesson plan and then having to digitize it presented issues for even the most tech savvy of teachers.  Unfortunately, the majority of teachers had never even taught classes online, but now had to scramble to teach lessons online for  the rest of the school year. The “inequities in access to and understanding of how to use digital devices is referred to as the “digital divide” (Leech, Gullett, Howland Cummings and Haug, 2022) These teachers, who had struggled with technology in the past,  were now given no choice.

Challenge #2: Broadband Connection. 2020 School Shutdown created a massive influx of online users at once. A major issue with forced online education was students struggling with overall “availability of wifi, speedy internet, and adequate connectivity” (Reynolds et al., 2022). The FCC determined that while “97% of Americans in urban areas have access to a high-speed, fixed service, that number falls to 65% for rural areas and on tribal lands to 60%” (Roese, J. 2021) 5G is still, 2 years later, not universally available so it definitely was not available during the pandemic. This made internet usage slow and inconsistent among students and their teachers.. 

Scene 6

2020 School Shutdown created a massive influx of online users at once. A major issue with forced online education was students struggling with  overall “availability of wifi, speedy internet, and adequate connectivity”   (Reynolds et al., 2022). The FCC determined that while  “97% of Americans in urban areas have access to a high-speed, fixed service, that number falls to 65% for rural areas and on tribal lands to 60%” (Roese, J. 2021) 5G is still, 2 years later, not universally available so it  definitely  was not available during the pandemic.  This made internet usage slow and inconsistent among students and their teachers.

Economic Vulnerability/ Internet Access. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-digital-divide-learning-education/. 

Scene 7

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-digital-divide-learning-education/

Internet Access Low Among
Economic Vulnerable
Percentage of people with access to the internet
based on economic vulnerability
High Moderate
D Low
World 46
21
DevelOPing 42
economies
74
68
77
economies
91
Economic vulnerability refers to times in the past year when people could/could
not afford food and shelter and did/did not have friends or family to help
Source: Gallup
statista

Possible Opportunities for Digital Growth After COVID-19. 

Scene 8

Possible Opportunities for Digital Growth After COVID-19

Despite the challenges students and educators experienced  because  of  emergency  teaching, these challenges spurred positive change for digital literacy in education around the world

Opportunity #1 Expanded Internet and Technology Access. 

Scene 9

Opportunity  #1 Expanded Internet and Technology Access

COVID Forced Access to Internet and  Technology  to Expand out of  Necessity Research showed roughly half of households rural Europe had broadband (Bote-Vericad, 150) England’s Dept. of Education provided devices to students to alleviate burden (150) University of Barcelona lent devices and internet to students without (150) One study suggested institutions provide technology kits for students (Ibacache, Koob, & Vance, 18) Efforts to expand access in the US and Alabama are discussed in later slides

Opportunity #2 Increased Digital Literacy for Educators and Students. 

Scene 10

Opportunity #2 Increased Digital Literacy for Educators and Students

Emergency Teaching Caused Teachers and Students to Become More Digital Literate Moving from face-to-face to distance learning quickly caused educators to adopt new digital teaching  methods (Bote-Vericad, 152) These methods must cause creative, critical, and collaborative thinking (152) The American Library Association created a Digital Literacy Task Force to combat digital illiteracy by educating teachers on online  educational tools (Ibacache et al., 3). Researchers also found that although people born after 1980 are typically thought to be digitally literate, they tend to struggle with creating content online (3) These researchers suggest steps should be taken to expand digital literacy support for students as well as for educators (20)

Digital Equity in P-12 Educational Settings. 

Scene 11

Digital Equity in P-12 Educational Settings

Like this video about closing the digital divide and subscribe here: https://freeth.ink/youtube-subscribe-digitaldivide Up next- The Homemade Internet Service: https://youtu.be/p52PY_cwIsA It’s estimated that in the U.S. today, there are approximately 42 million people without a reliable internet connection. Geographic challenges play a role, but economic factors are just as crucial. America’s digital divide has never been more apparent than it has in the face of COVID-19, as more individuals work remotely and children attend classes from home. Until the digital divide is closed, the unconnected will remain particularly vulnerable in times of crisis. Should internet access be a basic human right? See the full article on the digital divide here: https://www.freethink.com/videos/the-digital-divide Follow Freethink. -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freethinkmedia -Twitter: https://twitter.com/freethinkmedia -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freethink -Website: http://www.freethink.com Join the Freethink forum: http://www.facebook.com/groups/freethinkforum. 

Scene 12

Like this video about closing the digital divide and subscribe here: https://freeth.ink/youtube-subscribe-digitaldivide 
 
Up next- The Homemade Internet Service: https://youtu.be/p52PY_cwIsA

It’s estimated that in the U.S. today, there are approximately 42 million people without a reliable internet connection. Geographic challenges play a role, but economic factors are just as crucial. 

America’s digital divide has never been more apparent than it has in the face of COVID-19, as more individuals work remotely and children attend classes from home.

Until the digital divide is closed, the unconnected will remain particularly vulnerable in times of crisis. Should internet access be a basic human right?
 
See the full article on the digital divide here: https://www.freethink.com/videos/the-digital-divide 
 
Follow Freethink. 
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freethinkmedia 
-Twitter: https://twitter.com/freethinkmedia 
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freethink 
-Website: http://www.freethink.com 
 
Join the Freethink forum: http://www.facebook.com/groups/freethinkforum

The digital divide has been an pervasive challenge nationwide, but COVID-19 has exemplified the need to close the digital gap promptly.  One quarter of all school-aged children live in households without broadband access or a web-enabled device such as a computer or tablet.

Challenge #1- Access Issues. Geographic location matters a great deal when looking at digital equity. “Access to the digital infrastructure and technologies remains a challenging first- level issue for all countries. For instance, in the country that spends the most for student education, 11.6 million students do not have the Internet access they need for digital learning” ( https://crires.ulaval.ca/full-text/resta2018_referenceworkentry_issuesandchallengesrelatedtodi.pdf ) Despite the rapid spread of internet throughout the United States, many students living in rural areas go without internet due to broadband being unavailable. Another challenge within education is the speed of internet. When audio or video content must be accessed, the strength and speed of the broadband internet affects student usage.. 

Scene 13

Geographic location matters a great deal when looking at digital equity. “Access to the digital infrastructure and technologies remains a challenging first- level issue for all countries. For instance, in the country that spends the most for student education, 11.6 million students do not have the Internet access they need for digital learning” ( https://crires.ulaval.ca/full-text/resta2018_referenceworkentry_issuesandchallengesrelatedtodi.pdf  ) Despite the rapid spread of internet throughout the United States, many students living in rural areas go without internet due to broadband being unavailable. Another challenge within education is the speed of internet. When audio or video content must be accessed, the strength and speed of the broadband internet affects student usage.

Challenge #2- Affordability Issues. According to the National Education Association: Nationwide: School-aged children in households that are below the federal poverty threshold are much less likely (53%) than those above (79%) to have access to both broadband and a computer. Alabama: 62% of children in under-resourced households lack full digital access, 47% of native americans or students of color do not have access to broadband or devices, and 23% of teachers do not have access to broadband or devices at home. https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/NEA%20Report%20-%20Digital%20Equity%20for%20Students%20and%20Educators_0.pdf. 

Scene 14

According to the National Education Association: Nationwide: School-aged children in households that are below the federal poverty threshold are much less likely (53%) than those above (79%) to have access to both broadband and a computer. Alabama: 62% of children in under-resourced households lack full digital access, 47% of native americans or students of color do not have access to broadband or devices, and 23% of teachers do not have access to broadband or devices at home.   https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/NEA%20Report%20-%20Digital%20Equity%20for%20Students%20and%20Educators_0.pdf

Nationwide Opportunity for Digital Equity. There has been an urgent need for legislation to close the digital gap and Digital Equity Act has done just that on a national level . The Digital Equity Act was included within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This act passed on November 6 th , 2021. The Digital Equity Act will: 1. Provide digital skills training and education to low-income populations 2. Improve online accessibility of social services for individuals with disabilities 3. Empower rural communities to measure and address their own broadband needs https://www.digitalequityact.org. 

Scene 15

Nationwide  Opportunity for Digital Equity

There has been an urgent need for  legislation  to close the digital  gap and Digital Equity Act has done just that on a national level .  The Digital Equity Act was included within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This act passed on November 6 th , 2021.  The Digital Equity Act will: 1.     Provide digital skills training and education to low-income populations 2.     Improve online accessibility of social services for individuals with disabilities  3.     Empower rural communities to measure and address their own broadband needs https://www.digitalequityact.org

Digital Equity Act. 3 Grant Programs within the Digital Equity Act: State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program: A $60 million grant program for states and territories to develop digital equity plans. State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: A $1.44 billion grant program for states and territories. It will fund an annual grant program for five years in support of digital equity projects and the implementation of digital equity plans. Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: A $1.25 billion grant program. It will fund annual grant programs for five years to implement digital equity projects. https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/digital-equity-programs. 

Scene 16

3 Grant Programs within the Digital Equity Act: State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program: A $60 million grant program for states and territories to develop digital equity plans. State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: A $1.44 billion grant program for states and territories. It will fund an annual grant program for five years in support of digital equity projects and the implementation of digital equity plans. Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: A $1.25 billion grant program. It will fund annual grant programs for five years to implement digital equity projects. https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/digital-equity-programs

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how essential the internet is to everyday American life. In the 21st century, an affordable high-speed broadband connection is a prerequisite for a wide range of economic, educational, and business opportunities. Unfortunately, too many of our citizens cannot access a reliable internet connection or do not know how to use the technology – leaving them further and further behind in an increasingly-digital world. Our bipartisan bill will make critical investments in digital equity and digital inclusion, so we can ensure that Americans of all ages and backgrounds can not only access a broadband connection, but make the most of the opportunities it provides.”. 

Scene 17

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how essential the internet is to everyday American life. In the 21st century, an affordable high-speed broadband connection is a prerequisite for a wide range of economic, educational, and business opportunities. Unfortunately, too many of our citizens cannot access a reliable internet connection or do not know how to use the technology – leaving them further and further behind in an increasingly-digital world. Our bipartisan bill will make critical investments in digital equity and digital inclusion, so we can ensure that Americans of all ages and backgrounds can not only access a broadband connection, but make the most of the opportunities it provides.”

Statewide Opportunity for Digital Equity. On May 17, 2021, Governor Kay Ivey signed the Connect Alabama Act. The Act created three entities: The Alabama Digital Expansion Authority to advise, review, and approve the statewide connectivity plan The Alabama Digital Expansion Division of ADECA to develop and begin executing a statewide connectivity plan The Alabama Digital Expansion Finance Corporation to administer the Connect Alabama Fund https://adeca.alabama.gov/broadband/. 

Scene 18

On May 17, 2021, Governor Kay Ivey signed the Connect Alabama Act.  The Act created three entities:  The Alabama Digital Expansion Authority to advise, review, and approve the statewide connectivity plan The Alabama Digital Expansion Division of ADECA to develop and begin executing a statewide connectivity plan The Alabama Digital Expansion Finance Corporation to administer the Connect Alabama Fund https://adeca.alabama.gov/broadband/

Alabama Broadband Map and the Alabama Connectivity Plan- January 5th, 2022. 

Scene 19

Alabama Broadband Map and the Alabama Connectivity Plan- January 5th, 2022

The Alabama Broadband map was created to help in the expansion of access to high-speed internet.  “The Alabama Broadband Map will be used to better determine eligibility for state and federal broadband investment to connect unserved areas; facilitate ISPs expansion planning efforts; and provide a more accurate depiction of broadband, including speeds and technology, in each census block of the state.”  (Sellers, R. ) Since the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority was formed in 2018, ADECA has awarded grants for more than 90 projects to expand broadband access to unserved areas through the Alabama. https://adeca.alabama.gov/2022/01/05/adeca-releases-states-official-alabama-broadband-map-connectivity-plan/

“Broadband is vital infrastructure for Alabama, and this new map gives us the clearest and most accurate picture to date of broadband availability throughout the state,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “Expanding access to high-speed internet will help bring more jobs, improve educational opportunities and bolster our economy. I commend ADECA, the internet service providers and all others involved in this mammoth effort to create this valuable new tool that will enhance our efforts to provide broadband services to every corner of Alabama.”. 

Scene 20

“Broadband is vital infrastructure for Alabama, and this new map gives us the clearest and most accurate picture to date of broadband availability throughout the state,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “Expanding access to high-speed internet will help bring more jobs, improve educational opportunities and bolster our economy. I commend ADECA, the internet service providers and all others involved in this mammoth effort to create this valuable new tool that will enhance our efforts to provide broadband services to every corner of Alabama.”

Strategies to stay on the path towards digital equity: Continue to focus on access for every student and household. The national nonprofit EducationSuperHighway and its Digital Bridge K-12 project offers resources to school districts to help make sure internet access is available to all households! ( https://www.educationsuperhighway.org ) We need to continue to expand access to high quality virtual learning opportunities for students. Offer more and varied professional learning opportunities that target technical and pedagogical skills. It is essential that teachers have adequate technical support and more time to create, plan, and experiment with technology. https://www.iste.org/explore/education-leadership/3-ways-stay-path-digital-equity. 

Scene 21

Strategies to stay on the path towards digital equity: Continue to focus on access for every student and household. The national nonprofit EducationSuperHighway and its Digital Bridge K-12 project offers resources to school districts to help make sure internet access is available to all households! ( https://www.educationsuperhighway.org )  We need to continue to expand access to high quality virtual learning opportunities for students.   Offer more and varied professional learning opportunities that target technical and pedagogical skills. It is essential that teachers have adequate technical support and more time to create, plan, and experiment with technology.  https://www.iste.org/explore/education-leadership/3-ways-stay-path-digital-equity

Examples of Schools or other entities that are trying to (help) resolve the issues. 

Scene 22

Examples of Schools or other entities that are trying to (help) resolve the issues

England’s Dept. of Education provided devices to students  University of Barcelona lent devices and Wifi hotspots to students Groups like the American Library Association created task force to widen digital  literacy for students and educators

Congress passed the Digital Equity Act to combat the digital divide in the US The state of Alabama has taken steps to  strengthen  its broadband infrastructure across the state Individual school districts like Mobile County Public Schools moved to one-to-one (one device per student) in response to school shutdowns

References. Alabama Digital Expansion Division . ADECA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://adeca.alabama.gov/broadband/ Bote-Vericad, J., Lowry, J., & Sutherland, T. (2021). Challenges for the educational system during lockdowns: A possible new framework for teaching and learning for the near future. Education for Information , 37 (1), 149-153). Digital Equity Programs . BroadbandUSA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/digital-equity-programs I bacache, K., Koob, A. R., & Vance, E. (2021). Emergency remote library instruction and tech tools: A matter of equity during a pandemic. Information Technology & Libraries , 40 (2), 1-30. Leech, N., Gullett, S., Howland Cummings, M. and Haug, C., 2022. The Challenges of Remote K–12 Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Differences by Grade Level. Online Learning, 26(1), pp.3-17. Murray, S. P., Portman, S. R., King, S. A., & Siefer, A. (n.d.). Digital Equity Act. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.digitalequityact.org/. 

Scene 23

Alabama Digital Expansion Division . ADECA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://adeca.alabama.gov/broadband/  Bote-Vericad, J., Lowry, J., & Sutherland, T. (2021). Challenges for the educational system during lockdowns: A possible new framework for teaching and learning for the near future.  Education for Information ,  37 (1), 149-153). Digital Equity Programs . BroadbandUSA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/digital-equity-programs  I bacache, K., Koob, A. R., & Vance, E. (2021). Emergency remote library instruction and tech tools: A matter of equity during a pandemic.  Information Technology & Libraries ,  40 (2), 1-30.  Leech, N., Gullett, S., Howland Cummings, M. and Haug, C., 2022. The Challenges of Remote K–12 Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Differences by Grade Level. Online Learning, 26(1), pp.3-17. Murray, S. P., Portman, S. R., King, S. A., & Siefer, A. (n.d.). Digital Equity Act. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.digitalequityact.org/

References continued. Sellers, R. (2022, March 8). ADECA releases state's official Alabama Broadband Map, connectivity plan . ADECA. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://adeca.alabama.gov/2022/01/05/adeca-releases-states-official-alabama-broadband-map-connectivity-plan/ Resta, P., Laferrière, T., McLaughlin, R., & Kouraogo, A. (2018). Issues and Challenges Related to Digital Equity: An Overview. Second Handbook of Information Technology in Primary and Secondary Education . Springer International Handbooks of Education : 987-1004. Reynolds, R., Aromi, J., McGowan, C., &amp; Paris, B. (2022). Digital Divide, critical-, and crisis informatics perspectives on K-12 emergency remote teaching during the pandemic. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24654 Roese, J., G. C. T. O. (n.d.). Covid-19 exposed the digital divide. here's how we can close it. World Economic Forum. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-digital-divide-learning-education/. 

Scene 24

Sellers, R. (2022, March 8).  ADECA releases state's official Alabama Broadband Map, connectivity plan . ADECA. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://adeca.alabama.gov/2022/01/05/adeca-releases-states-official-alabama-broadband-map-connectivity-plan/   Resta, P., Laferrière, T., McLaughlin, R., & Kouraogo, A. (2018). Issues and Challenges Related to Digital Equity: An Overview.    Second Handbook of Information Technology in Primary and Secondary Education . Springer International Handbooks of Education : 987-1004.  Reynolds, R., Aromi, J., McGowan, C., &amp; Paris, B. (2022). Digital Divide, critical-, and crisis informatics perspectives on K-12 emergency remote teaching during the pandemic. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24654  Roese, J.,  G. C. T. O. (n.d.). Covid-19 exposed the digital divide. here's how we can close it. World Economic Forum. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-digital-divide-learning-education/

Digital 
Citizenship 
Project:
Impact of Emergency Online Teaching on the Digital Divide
＆
Digital Equity in P-12 Educational Settings




Scene 0

 Bridget Barlow Thomas Edwards Amanda Howard James McGriff

slide2-hotlink146

 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-digital-divide-learning-education/

slide7-hotlink179

slide12-hotlink214

 Geographic location matters a great deal when looking at digital equity. “Access to the digital infrastructure and technologies remains a challenging first- level issue for all countries. For instance, in the country that spends the most for student education, 11.6 million students do not have the Internet access they need for digital learning” ( https://crires.ulaval.ca/full-text/resta2018_referenceworkentry_issuesandchallengesrelatedtodi.pdf  ) Despite the rapid spread of internet throughout the United States, many students living in rural areas go without internet due to broadband being unavailable. Another challenge within education is the speed of internet. When audio or video content must be accessed, the strength and speed of the broadband internet affects student usage.   

slide13-hotlink221

 According to the National Education Association: Nationwide: School-aged children in households that are below the federal poverty threshold are much less likely (53%) than those above (79%) to have access to both broadband and a computer. Alabama: 62% of children in under-resourced households lack full digital access, 47% of native americans or students of color do not have access to broadband or devices, and 23% of teachers do not have access to broadband or devices at home.   https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/NEA%20Report%20-%20Digital%20Equity%20for%20Students%20and%20Educators_0.pdf 

slide14-hotlink228

 There has been an urgent need for  legislation  to close the digital  gap and Digital Equity Act has done just that on a national level .  The Digital Equity Act was included within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This act passed on November 6 th , 2021.  The Digital Equity Act will: 1.     Provide digital skills training and education to low-income populations 2.     Improve online accessibility of social services for individuals with disabilities  3.     Empower rural communities to measure and address their own broadband needs https://www.digitalequityact.org

slide15-hotlink235

 3 Grant Programs within the Digital Equity Act: State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program: A $60 million grant program for states and territories to develop digital equity plans. State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: A $1.44 billion grant program for states and territories. It will fund an annual grant program for five years in support of digital equity projects and the implementation of digital equity plans. Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: A $1.25 billion grant program. It will fund annual grant programs for five years to implement digital equity projects. https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/digital-equity-programs

slide16-hotlink242

 On May 17, 2021, Governor Kay Ivey signed the Connect Alabama Act.  The Act created three entities:  The Alabama Digital Expansion Authority to advise, review, and approve the statewide connectivity plan The Alabama Digital Expansion Division of ADECA to develop and begin executing a statewide connectivity plan The Alabama Digital Expansion Finance Corporation to administer the Connect Alabama Fund https://adeca.alabama.gov/broadband/

slide18-hotlink257

 Strategies to stay on the path towards digital equity: Continue to focus on access for every student and household. The national nonprofit EducationSuperHighway and its Digital Bridge K-12 project offers resources to school districts to help make sure internet access is available to all households! ( https://www.educationsuperhighway.org )  We need to continue to expand access to high quality virtual learning opportunities for students.   Offer more and varied professional learning opportunities that target technical and pedagogical skills. It is essential that teachers have adequate technical support and more time to create, plan, and experiment with technology.  https://www.iste.org/explore/education-leadership/3-ways-stay-path-digital-equity  