EQUITY AND CITIZENSHIP ADVOCATE 1

Equity and Citizenship Advocate

Kayla McCray

Coastal Carolina University

EDIT 760, Section D1

Jan. 24, 2022

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Introduction

Standard one focuses on leaders’ use of technology to increase equity, inclusion, and

digital citizenship practices. Each indicator goes into details about knowing how to use

technology and having the technology. It is not enough to have the technology devices, but need

to have the knowledge to use them needs to accompany it. Standard one also focuses on equity,

inclusion, and digital citizenship - the user needs to be able to modify these traits. There are four

indicators to go with this standard.

Indicators

ISTE for Education Leaders states in indicator one “ensure all students have skilled

teachers who actively use technology to meet student learning needs”. With indicator one, it

focuses on skilled teachers needing to actively use technology. It is not enough to just have the

technology but one who is skilled to meet needs of students as relates to what they need to learn.

The one who is in the classroom, uses technology effectively and not just to fill time or

pointlessly inserts an assignment to say that technology was incorporated. The use of technology

will not be beneficial if the teacher nor students knows how to use the technology. However,

none of this will be any good if you do not have the means or access to technology.

In the reading by S.K. Damarin, one thing I found interesting was the quote “use the

most accessible technology that will accomplish the task”. So not only making sure to have

access to technology but making sure to have the right technology as well. If you have students

in your class that perhaps are non-verbal, a Chromebook may not be the tool that they need. Just

because it is accessible to the students, doesn’t mean it will accomplish the task. This particular

student may benefit more from an augmentative alternative communication (AAC) device. This

form of technology will not only be more beneficial but more developmentally appropriate for
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the student to be able to accomplish the task. Another idea from S.K. Damarin is “use the least

costly tool that will accomplish the task”. You do not always have to have the most expensive

product to accomplish a task. If the task for example is to teach students to use technology, you

can buy a device that is lower on cost as long as it will accomplish the task.

Standard two based on the ISTE – educator standards is about ensuring all students have

access to the technology and connectivity necessary to participate in authentic and engaging

learning opportunities. This focuses on access of technology. Students need to have access to

technology. Rather it be a computer cart or being one to one as we are in my district. Without

technology, students will not be able to get the experience needed or complete the tasks.

The third indicator is “model digital citizenship by critically evaluating online resources,

engaging in civil discourse online and using digital tools to contribute to positive social change”.

This requires to evaluate what you would like students to use by figuring if it is appropriate and

if it meets the expectations you have set. Also, using digital tools such as blogs, forums, and

connecting with others rather orally or written. Positive change means trying to make things

better. When evaluating, there are some areas to keep in mind. One is the information. Making

sure that the information is credible and accurate – preventing you from obtaining false

information. Also making sure the media is updated. This includes making sure pictures are

recent and updated.

The fourth and last indicator is “cultivate responsible online behavior, including

the safe, ethical and legal use of technology”. This indicator is along the lines of making sure the

technology is used appropriately. The facilitator needs to make sure that the users are using the

technology for the good and not for the bad. For example if they are using chat rooms, the

participants need to make sure they know how and practice safe user procedures. Cyberbullying
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has become more prevalent in users so there needs to be a monitor on usage in order to prevent

or aide in the prevention of this.

Analysis

In my district, our students are all 1:1 when it comes to technology. Each student has a

school issued Chromebook that travels with them all day – from the time they arrive until

dismissal time. We do not allow students to take devices home due to the fact that many of them

do not have internet in the homes so it will not be beneficial. I teach middle school so each

teacher’s use of technology in the classroom is different for each subject. Each teacher has basic

knowledge of computer usage. They might not always know the easiest and/or quickest way to

accomplish a task but they can get the job done. Also, at the beginning of the year, we have

students to sign a contract that holds them accountable for being safe on the computer as well as

making sure to be safe with the computer as well.

Concerns

One place the school could use some improvement is teaching the students internet

safety. This applies to making sure that they are not cyberbullying others on social media or

anywhere else that cyberbullying can take place. It doesn’t meet curriculum exactly so it

manages to get brushed over in a sense. We do have a program in place that does allow for

teachers to monitor students’ computer usage and for us to be able to see their screens, however,

the students are becoming cleverer about ways to be off task and communicate with their friends.

When it comes to this standard, I believe that our school/district does a good job with

keeping the technology up to date and available to teachers and students. One thing for sure is

that you will have to model expectations for students. You cannot just set them to work and

know what to do if the expectations are not met.

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Summary

In order for schools to implement technology and practice standard one efficiently, they

must first have the means of technology. This can be Chromebooks, ipads, or whatever form of

technology is being used. I believe that although ipads/tablets are what most people have in their

homes, a Chromebook is more beneficial to have because it allows for students to be able to

practice that typing aspect of things. I also think educators and students technology should match

so that the teacher can know what to expect for students and be able to assist them with their

needs. If students have an ipad, then teachers should have an ipad. If students have

Chromebooks, then teachers would also need to have Chromebooks. This will aide in the teacher

knowledge portion in this indicator.

As far as the past, present, and future are concerned, I see change. We surely are not

where we used to be to twenty years ago let alone five years ago. Presently, I think we are doing

students some disservice because we as educators do not always use technology to the best of our

usage. We just stick a video in or some research just to say we have used technology. I say we

because even I am included in that group. I was thinking the other day, state testing has moved to

be digital but we didn’t really teach students how to use technology. We expect that since they

are always on devices then they know however, that is not the case. For example, students have

to type responses on state testing and they have never been taught how to type. One benefit to

that is that state testing is not timed but some students suffer from anxiety and them having to

type and not really knowing how to do so drives their anxiety levels up. I know for me, I didn’t

really take keyboarding classes until high school, but we also did not have easy access to devices

as students do now. Today, we give students a device and expect them to figure it all out on their

own or with little to no assistance. I know that this day in age, technology is the way to go and if
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you are not on board with it, then you will not be very successful. As far as the future is

concerned, I can see definitely a whole lot of advancements still to come and the newest fads and

trends will become old and out of date. I think we are headed in the right direction but there is

still more room for growth as well.

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References

Damarin, S. K. (2000). The ‘Digital Divide’ versus digital differences: Principles for equitable

use of technology in education. Educational Technology, 40(4), 17-22.

ISTE Standards: Education Leaders. ISTE. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2022, from

https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-education-leaders