How are students of lower socioeconomic status (SES) affected by online learning, and what can we as teachers do to support equity in this format in spite of the challenges presented by financial discrepancy?
I did my class inquiry project with Vanessa, Jonny and Julia and we were curious about the effects of SES on tech accessibility and use for online learning. We decided to utilize digital storytelling to share our findings. The whole group was interesting in adding an aspect of humor to an otherwise serious topic, so we decided to make an mockumentary. Humor can help viewers engage with content that would otherwise be harder to engage with and laughter is good for health!
During our research we found many studies which describe a “digital divide” between students from lower SES compared to higher SES students (Noonoo, 2020; Warchauer and Matuchniak, 2010; Harris et al., 2017). A recent study found that in the United States, 14% of households with school aged kids do not have access to the internet and a large portion of these families made less than $50,000 a year (Noonoo, 2020). Even when students of lower SES backgrounds have access to tech, the ways in which they use technology are different as well. Students of lower SES backgrounds are more likely to use computers for game play and phones for social media applications as opposed to learning or education based applications (Harris et al., 2017).
During the Covid-19 pandemic, a recent survey based study compiled by the EdWeek Research center compared districts with high numbers of low SES students and high numbers of high SES students. Districts with 75% or more low SES students described lack of tech access as a major challenge in teaching. Of these lower SES districts, teachers were engaging in less instruction, students had significantly more unexplained absences and there was on average less live instruction occurring as compared to high SES districts. Most strikingly, teachers from lower SES schools spent more time creating printed communications to be picked up in person, engaging with students on social media, text messaging and sending snail mail (Herold, 2020).
With all of these challenges, school districts are realizing the digital divide does exist and are working to bridge the gap offering mobile hotspots and take home chrome books (Noonoo, 2020). But as we highlight in our video, it will take teachers who are informed on the issues and have the resources to help for change to occur.
Without further adieu, here is the piece de resistance, our inquiry project.
References:
Harris, C., Straker, L., & Pollock, C. (2017). A socioeconomic related ‘digital divide’ exists in how, not if, young people use computers. PloS one, 12(3), e0175011. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175011
Herold, B. (2020). The Disparities in Remote Learning Under Coronavirus (in Charts). Edweek. https://www.edweek.org/technology/the-disparities-in-remote-learning-under-coronavirus-in-charts/2020/04
Noonoo, S. (2020, March 26). Equity isn’t just about technology. It’s about supporting students and families. EdSurge. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-03-26-equity-isn-t-just-about-technology-it-s-about-supporting-students-and-families
Warschauer, M., & Matuchniak, T. (2010). New technology and digital worlds: Analyzing evidence of equity in access, use, and outcomes. Review of Research in Education, 34(1), 179-225.
