Denise Green

Issue Paper

ET 680

Loyola University
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As with any institution, there are issues that arise and must be addressed. Sometimes it is

difficult to determine which issues are most important and need to be taken care right away and

which issues can be left to be resolved at a later time. In my school there are quite a few issues

we face, but one of the main issues we have is incorporating technlogy into instruction

throughout the entire school.Our mission says that we are ppreparing lifelong learners for the 21st

century. The problem withh that is our world relies so heavily on technology already, if we are

not exposing our students to technology now, hoow will they be able to learn in this world full of

technology?

Issue: Equitable Access to Technology

The first issue that would need to be addressed in my school would be that everyone has

access to technology. We are a Title I school, which means that there is a high level of poverty at

our school. There is not a lot of money allocated to technology, which leaves students at a

deficit. If we want students to be successful in the 21st century, technology is an integral part. In

an article that focused on the digital divide, there was something that stood out in relation to

access to technology: As computer technology becomes increasingly prevalent throughout

society, concerns have been raised about reducing the digital divide between children who are

benefiting and those who are being left behind. We do not want any children to be left behind

which means we have to find a way to make sure everyone has access.

Due to the fact that most students attending are school are living at or below the poverty

line, it is more likely that technology in the home is least likely to be a priority. And with schools

not having the resources for the technology there are very few opportunities for students to

engage in technology use. If we want to prepare students for the real world, something must be

done to give them access to it.

One way to overcome this issue is to partner with community organizations. If we can get

the neighborhood businesses involved, it could help to provide thhe resouurces necessary. The

issue also needs to be addressed with the school board to make them aware of how important this

issue is and to see what can be done to overcome this issue. It is not somethiing that can be

solved overnight, but if we could come up with a strategic plan that is extended over a certain

period of time, at some point we can meet the goal to ggive everyone equal access to technology

and overcome the digital diivide.

This issue is the most important of all because if we do not have access to

technology, how can we use it? Digital equity is an extremely important issue because every

student deserves the ability to learn how technology works. It is not the students fault that their

family does not have the financial means to purchase their own technology. It should also not be

something that prevents them from learning the best way possible. It is the schools responsibility

to make sure students have every resource possible to make them successful, and this starts with

addressing the issue of digital equity.

Issue: Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Another issue that a technology leader will face once everyone has access to tech

resources will be the AUP. These policies lay the foundation as to how the technology resources

are to be used. It clearly defines what is accepptable use and what is unacceptable. These policies

apply to students as well as faculty and staff. Some of the guidelines may vary for staff and

faculty in comparison to students. By having these policies in place it assures that everyone will

use the technology resources in a safe and effecive manner. If they do not, there are

consequences defined in the policy that will be received by those who fail to abide by the rules.
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Some schools choose to create their own AUP to go along with the districts requirements. Our

school currently has not adopted their own specific guidelines, but it may be something to look

into for future years. When creating an AUP is necesarry to include the definition and purpose;

rights, responsibilities, and risks; penalties; and parental consent. If students and the community

are involved in the process of creating the guidelines, they will be more likely to follow them.

The AUP is something that should be reviewed by students and staff each year. It is a

contract that should be signed and agreed upon by all who will be using the schools technology

resources. Anyone refusing to sign the policy will not be given access to the resources. Once

these guidelines are signed and reviewed, it is the technology leader as well as the teachers

responsibility to teach users what is considered accpetable use of the technology. This way there

is no discrepency as to what is allowed and what is not. Students must understand what the

technology is to be used for. There should be an explanation that it is for educational purposes

only. Students should also be aware that using technology is a rivilege and not a right. If rules are

not being followed than their access to technology can be taken away as a consequence, which

should be outlined in the AUP. Lastly, parents must consent to the ppolicy as well that way the

school will not be held liable in any situations where inappropriate use of the web may occur.

Issue: Copyright and/or Software Piracy

Another issue that may arise deals with copyright laws and software piracy. Software

piracy is the unauthorized use or distribution of software. In schools it is common for everyone

to share software because it used or needed on multiple devices. If there is not a license to share

the software, then it can be considered illegal to share the software with others. As a tech leader

it is important to assure that the proper licensing is received for all software being used. If this is

not done, legal actions can occur such as fines that can be quite expensive. When using software
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that is not obtained the proper way, it may not be fully functional. If this is the case, students

may be expected to complete something using the software, but may not be able to because it is

not from the authorized source. If the school board is involved in the purchase of software, it will

be easy to have them purchase specific programs for all school to make sure everyone has access

to the same programs across the district. This way all legal issues can be avoided as far as

copyright and piracy are involved.

Policies

Many school districts in high poverty areas are struggling to keep up with the rapid pace

of technology and lack the resources and training to provide technology to such a diverse

population. It is crucial that all students have access to technology regardless of their

socioeconomic status. In order to effectively leverage technology in the classroom, the

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) states that equitable access is a

necessary element. As a technology leader it is important to create policies that address the need

for equal access to technology. The policies should incorporate the fact that individuals know

how to access the technology, outline where to go for help getting access and be flexible to

accommodate diverse learners and instructional needs. It is also important to include in the

policies that there needs to be increased internet access, software and technical support,

expansion of professional development for teachers, and local support and encouragement from

policymakers to improve funding for technology. These policies should apply to the entire school

community.

Although our school does have a computer lab and two laptop carts, it does not

accommodate the needs of all 500+ students to be able to engage in technology use effectively

and on a consistent basis. Teachers feel that due to the lack of access to proper working
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technology and resources they are not able to develop the higher level order of thinking that is

necessary for our 21st century learners. In order for the technology to be accessed by a large

number of students, there needs to be wireless access that can accommodate use by many people

at the same time.

Policies should also address technology use at home. Leaders need to make families

aware of options to access technology if they do not have their own computers or tablets, This

could include public libraries, loaner devices, special grants, etc. School boards need to be

involved in helping to ensure everyone has access to technology and software support as well.

This is not only an issue for the school but the entire district. Teachers need to have support with

the use of resources and have the professional development to ensure that it is being used

effectively in the classroom. Due to the act that teachers are the ones primarily integrating the

resources, they should have a large amount of input into what software and resources will be

used. By incorporating them in the decision making process, they will be more likely to engage

and use the resources for instruction. When integrating technology into the school there must

also be access to technology support. As we all know there are instances where technical

difficulties can occur. When these issues arise there must be some support available to assist

teachers and students. This could be someone from the informational technology department or a

technician outside of the school.

Professional development must also be available to teachers in order to have them

effectively integrate technology into the classroom. It is unrealistic to just hand teachers

computers or tablets and expect them to know how to use it. Opportunities must be made

available for teachers to learn the best practices when using devices in the classroom. In order to

incorporate these things, funds are needed. By applying for grants, money can be acquired to
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purchase devices and allocate money for professional development. These policies cannot be

implemented by the technology leader alone, but will require assistance from the entire school

community in order to make technology access for everyone a success.

Principal Memo

As leaders in the educational community, it is our job to make sure all students are given

access to the resources necessary for a great education. If we deprive students of resources, it is

difficult to ensure that they are getting the education they need to be successful. Our goal is to

create liifelong learners of the 21st century, and with technology becoming a major factor in our

society, it is something that must be included in education. Statitics have suggested that students

who learn with technology tend to be able to retain information at their own pace and learn more

efficiently. By using technology in the classroom, it giives students the opportuniity to be

accountable for their own learning and explore at their own discretion. Digital Equity refers to

equal access and opportunity to digital tools, resources, and services to increase digital

knowledge, awareness, and skills. At this point in time, our students do not have digital equity,

and that needs to change. Socioeconomic status should not play a role in equal access to

technology in education. Many students do not have access to devices at home, which is why we

need to ensure them the access at school.

By incorporating a technology policy, we can make sure that students have access to the

resources necessary to gain the best education possible. There needs to be a tech leader chosen to

oversee the integration of technology. Then we must obtain the resources necessary starting with

devices. This can be accomplished through grants and community partnerships. Once we have
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the devices necessary to accommodate our students, we must provide teachers with the

professional development to effectively incorporate technology into instruction. This will give

them the foundation needed to successfully use the resources provided. These professional

developments can occur in the summer before school starts. Afterwards, the tech leader in the

school can hold sessions after school, during collaborative team meetings, or one on one

depending on teacher needs. Teachers will have to be held accountable for using technology

during instruction by completing daily learning walks and having check-ins to see how teachers

are feeling about the integration of technology and what supports are needed.

After teachers are informed on how to use the technology, students need to have the

opportunity to learn how to use the devices. This will be the time to introduce the acceptable use

policy and discuss what is allowed on school devices and what is not. By completing this during

the first week of school, students will be prepared to continue with device usage for the rest of

the school year. With repeated use, students will become more comfortable with device usage,

and will not require extensive training in the future.

There also needs to be a policy in place for technical support when issues arise. We do

not want teachers and students to feel frustrated when issues arise. In order to overcome this

there needs to be a support system to help resolve these issues. Lastly, the tech leader needs to be

informed about software availability and purchases. By having this overseen by the tech leader

we can ensure that everyone has the software needed and it is used appropriately to avoid an

copyright issue.

As technology is becoming more and more prevalent in education, it is crucial that

everyone has access to it. We cannot let poverty and socioeconomic status be an excuse as to
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why students are not given the opportunity to learn in the most effective way with the best

resources possible.