Blog #5: Digital Divide and Academic Software
✰ This week we talked about the Digital Divide and Website Evaluations. But first! I should mention my Twitter experience and usage before we dive in. I never had an interest in Twitter, so it was not useful for me. I usually was interacting with my friends and popular accounts, but I liked following academic institutions or followed some people in the education world. Twitter might be helpful in terms of connecting with colleagues and understanding and gaining new information, but I do not see it in use for the future.
✰ The Digital Divide is known as the technological gap between people who do and do not have access to technology. Whenever there is an educational gap, I get really passionate about it because I want students to have equal access to knowledge and education so they can be successful in the future. The Digital Divide affects students in not having the right technology access as others based on demographics and skills provided in their education system. If someone grew up being accustomed to technology, he or she will succeed and be apply to implement those skills; however, if someone grew up in a rural area and not exposed to technology, they will be at a disadvantage for skills in the labor market. This will definitely affect my teaching strategies as I will sample my classes and see who needs help with using the technology that students may use in the classroom.
✰ As a teacher, there are two academic softwares that I will use for my students. The first one would be using would be some educational games that incorporate or stimulate History content, some examples would be Kahoot and potentially getting an emulator for The Trail to Oregon when I teach Manifest Destiny. Another software would be using a sort of special needs software that accommodates students with disabilities, so implementing subtitles to my power points or videos. Both of these types of softwares will help me engage students as well as creating an equal and fair environment for all kinds of students.
Hi Bri!
ReplyDeleteI honestly agree with how you feel about Twitter. I think that it's most beneficial when you're super active in whatever communities you want to be involved with, and if you're just kind of lurking it makes it a lot less interesting. I'm also a big advocate for expanding students' access to technology! Short of improving students and their families' socioeconomic situations, the best way to expose students to tech and "get their feet wet" is by introducing the technology to them through school, but a lot of schools have a hard time with this because of low funding of course (definitely something to improve).