This current situation has made me think a lot about digital equity recently and how students can access online resources. I used to think that schools who provides students with one to one laptops or devices to take home were doing a lot to benefit students without access in order to complete school work. I now realize that it is not enough to just provide students with devices because all students have a different situation for internet availability. Even if students can access the internet, that access can look different for everyone. This is important to think about when teaching art remotely.
This relates to the ideas of differentiation as well as accommodations and modifications. It is important that teachers provide multiple ways to access and learn the information, as well as multiple options for completing the assignments. It is important that each student has the same level of success no matter what their situation is.
For my art piece, I wanted to represent the idea of different access visually. The three bars of color (the light pink, the green, and the maroon) represent three different students internet access. All three students can access the internet, but their access looks different. The light pink student only has access to a hotspot. The connection is strong, however they can only use it for a limited time because it cost their family a lot of money. The green student has internet access but it is slow and cuts out a lot because they live in a rural area with a big family who are all using it. The maroon student does not have internet access in the home. They have to drive to a nearby library or cafe to use the internet. Thus they can only use it at certain times. It is important to remember that all students are in a different situation.
As a future educator I want to keep this in mind. I want to be more accessible to my students in a variety of ways. If students can’t access the internet for a zoom meeting, I can hopefully offer opportunities for a phone call or an in person meeting. I also want to allow my students to do assignments on or offline in case they cannot access the internet for extended periods of time. I think teachers and schools can also work together to put together hotspots to give to students or families who need them in times like these.
This relates to the ideas of differentiation as well as accommodations and modifications. It is important that teachers provide multiple ways to access and learn the information, as well as multiple options for completing the assignments. It is important that each student has the same level of success no matter what their situation is.
For my art piece, I wanted to represent the idea of different access visually. The three bars of color (the light pink, the green, and the maroon) represent three different students internet access. All three students can access the internet, but their access looks different. The light pink student only has access to a hotspot. The connection is strong, however they can only use it for a limited time because it cost their family a lot of money. The green student has internet access but it is slow and cuts out a lot because they live in a rural area with a big family who are all using it. The maroon student does not have internet access in the home. They have to drive to a nearby library or cafe to use the internet. Thus they can only use it at certain times. It is important to remember that all students are in a different situation.
As a future educator I want to keep this in mind. I want to be more accessible to my students in a variety of ways. If students can’t access the internet for a zoom meeting, I can hopefully offer opportunities for a phone call or an in person meeting. I also want to allow my students to do assignments on or offline in case they cannot access the internet for extended periods of time. I think teachers and schools can also work together to put together hotspots to give to students or families who need them in times like these.