LM Nov-Dec_2021

Crossing the Dividing Lines School Districts Connect Through Technology Amid Pandemic

By Dr. Jeremy Larson Superintendent of Paris Union School District No. 95

As online classes, both synchronous and asynchronous, have become more necessary during the global COVID-19 health crisis, an existing problem has been exacerbated. The digital divide—the gap between those who benefit from access to technological advancements and those who don’t—is directly affecting the education of the country’s future leaders. In an effort to close the digital divide from the ground up, school districts, such as Paris Union School District #95, are spearheading efforts to promote collaboration within the education field across the country. It’s my belief that collaborative teaching methodologies and sharing of educational resources has become even more integral to bringing our country together and out of this crisis. Closing theDigital Divide The digital divide is a concept that was conceived long before the pandemic ever arose. As technology becomes more infused within society’s daily workings, those without access are left behind and faced with more barriers. Prior to the pandemic, the digital divide was apparent in processes such as electronic banking, online job applications, digital-only access to information. After COVID-19, however, the digital divide was widened as internet access became a necessity to work or go to school. Sixty percent of lower-income families say they have experienced problems with speed, reliability or access to high-speed internet, making it difficult to do the things they need to do online, according to an April 2021 study. This means that those families will have issues when it’s time to work remotely and children will have difficulty completing their studies in those communities. Branching off as a specific type of digital divide is the Homework Gap. Jessica Rosenworcel, acting Chair of

the Federal Communications Commission, has noted the following about this concept: “I wound up in big cities and in small towns, in urban America and rural America, but I heard the very same things from teachers and administrators no matter where I went....Our classrooms have internet access, but when our students go home at night, not all of them have reliable internet access at home.” As seven in 10 teachers will assign homework that requires internet access, this leaves many students suffering from the Homework Gap. They are unable to study and complete their homework because a lack of internet access impedes them from doing so. In fact, a 2018 study found that 25 percent of Black students were unable to complete homework due to a lack of internet access at home. And as the pandemic has pushed many school districts to go online, or partially online, students in lower-income and rural communities are often the first to suffer the consequences. Although these groups face these issues most frequently, they are not the only communities to feel the effects. Forty- seven percent of middle-class families and even 39 percent of upper-class families cite having the same problems with internet access. This leads to the question—if American society continues trending deeper into the Digital Age, what happens to those without reliable internet access? One possible solution, at least within the education field, is sharing of resources. School communities must come together to help out all students who are suffering from a lack of internet access. Providing laptops, increasing library access and allowing students to use wireless SIM cards for internet connection are all possible techniques that can help alleviate this issue. continued...

17 LM Nov./Dec. 2021