I will be using technology in my classroom. Although there are those students who don’t have a computer or internet access at home but there are always options out there for students to gain access. The use of technology can improve the quality of education in a students learning experience. As Swain and Edyburn stated “…it allows students to learn the concept deeply, enhances higher-order thinking opportunities, presents their knowledge in ways that mesh with strengths, and furthers educational and future workplace opportunities.” Technology can only help a student.
Social justice is the belief that “…we are discussing how the good and bad things in life should be distributed among the members of a human society.” This does not mean that if a student does not have a computer then to bad for them, it means that everyone needs to be given equal opportunity for access of technology. Students need to be fluent in all aspects of technology in this day and age. If you are not tech savvy then you will have a hard time finding a job. Swain and Edyburn stated a surprising statistic that over 80% of all jobs in the next 2 decades will require the future worker to be fluent in all technology. I know that workers my parent’s age are not all tech savvy, my father is a perfect example of this. He doesn’t even know how to send an email. He learned how to access and use the internet only 2 years ago!
I believe that I will be disadvantaging my students if I don’t use technology in my classroom. Students can aid in their own learning of the topic when they can find new ways of learning the information at hand. Although some teachers do use technology they could be using it in a way that is not allowing students a social justice. If a teacher segregates between low achieving and high achieving students and the way they can use a computer, they are putting them at a disadvantage and not using social justice. The only way to use technology for a social justice is if you give all your students equal opportunities for success and advancement.
For students who are disadvantaged and don’t have access to a computer in the home that is not a problem at all. The student will have access to the school computers during school hours, they can go to the local library for computer access and they can go to a friend’s house and use their computer. The issue of no access is no reason to cut technology from your classroom because this is not an issue at all.
I like that you will be using technology in your classroom. All students in the class should have the same opportunities to use technology so they will have the skills and knowledge of how to use a computer, camera and other technological devices. Students are at a huge disadvantage if they don't know how to use basic technology in our society. Using the local library as a resource for students is a good idea.
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