Download Report: The Educational Equity Imperative: Leveraging Technology to Empower Learning for All
The Speak Up National Research Project annually polls K-12 students, parents and educators about the role of technology for learning in and out of school. For the past fifteen years, Project Tomorrow’s® annual Speak Up Research Project for Digital Learning has provided schools and districts nationwide and around the globe with illuminating insights into the expectations of students for new learning environments by reporting on the authentic, unfiltered ideas of students themselves. Additional perspectives from teachers, librarians, administrators, community members and parents have illustrated the challenges as well as benefits of education technology usage. This Speak Up briefing paper examines the role of technology use in school as an enabler of equitable learning environments. Two use cases for technology are investigated in this brief. First, this paper examines data from principals who have implemented a 1:1 program where their students are assigned a laptop, tablet or Chromebook to use in school to support learning. Such programs aim to level the playing field by providing all students with the same access to technology tools and content. Within that use case, this paper also report on the learning experiences and outcomes of the students using these devices in school. In the second use case, this paper evaluates the role of digital content usage by the teacher and its application to students’ development of college and career ready skills. The development of essential workplace skills is an important outcome for education in general, but it is especially important that all students have such learning experiences so that there is no inherent discrimination in potential career or college readiness. Through the examination of these two technology use cases, the Speak Up findings provide new insights into how digital tools, content and resources can create more equitable learning environments. [The 2017-2018 Speak Up National Research Project was also sponsored by iboss.]
