Educational Equity and Tech

1. Educational Equity:
Understanding Assistive/Adaptive
Technology and Diversity
J. Kennedy
Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School

2. Benchmark Study-
National Educational Computing Conference,
2009
 Using technology is an absolute must for the 21st Century Learner; however,
according to a 2009 study, schools “are still weak in their use of technology
for assessments and creating educational equity” (THE, 2009)

3. Differentiation
 Achieving Educational Equity
 When differentiating, teachers need to be aware of:
 Different Learning Styles
 Multiple Intelligences
 Disabilities

4. Using Technology for Differentiation
 Technology can help teachers differentiate:
1. Content (what you are teaching)
Ex.) WebQuests
2. Process (how students are learning)
Ex.) Digital Storyboarding
3. Product (the assessment)
Ex.) Blogging

5. Assistive Technologies
 Many computers have built-in accessibility features that can help exceptional
students.
 Assistive Technologies help students with disabilities communicate through
pictures, words, and symbols

6. Being a Culturally Responsive Teacher
 Six Key Behaviors of a culturally responsive teacher. They:
 Are socially conscious
 View students’ backgrounds as assets rather than liabilities
 Feel personally responsible for helping schools be more responsive to all students
 Know about the lives of their students
 Design instruction building upon prior knowledge and experiences; stretches them
beyond the familiar

7. Learner-Centered Strategies:
Meeting the Social Needs of Students
Creating a Collaborative Environment
 Teachers need to create an invitational learning environment. They do that
through:
 Modeling- Thinking out loud and showing students how they work through
problematic situations
 Questioning: Challenging students to go beyond what they can find doing a simple
search.
 Quality Responding: Communicating sincere in knowing about students’ thoughts
and feelings in classroom interactions
 Peer interactions: Encouraging genuine discussion and buy-in from peers
 Reflective journals: Providing students with a platform to share thoughts and
feelings

8. Learner-Centered Strategies:
Meeting the Cognitive Needs of Students
 Teachers need to provide opportunities in learning that promote different
kinds of thinking:
 Observing closely and describing what’s there
 Building explanations and interpretations
 Reasoning with evidence
 Making connections
 Considering different viewpoints and perspectives
 Capturing the heart and forming conclusions
 Wondering and asking questions
 Uncovering complexity and going below the surface

9. Learner-Centered Strategies:
Meeting the Metacognitive Needs of Students
 Metacognition: Thinking about thinking
 How can teachers get students to think about how they think through
challenges, activities, and situations.
 Reflection is key!
 Provide students with time and space to reflect.
 Reflection does not become a habit unless it is used continually.

10. Bibliography
 Cennamo, K. S., Ross, J. D., Ertmer, P. A., & POTTER (2014). Technology
integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach.
United States: Wadsworth Publishing Co.
 Tech Adoption Still a Work in Progress: New Research Shows Mixed Results in
K-20’s Effort to Achieve Technology-Integrated Instruction
(2009). Technological Horizons In Education, 36(7), 10.