Educational Technology: Barrier or Bridge to Equitable Access to Advanced Learning Opportunities?

Abstract

Project OCCAMS (Online Curriculum Consortium for Accelerating Middle School) is a collaboration between the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University, the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William & Mary, and Columbus Public Schools with a goal of providing accelerated learning in language arts aimed at increasing achievement and increasing participation in advanced courses in high school among students from racial and economic subgroups underrepresented in traditional gifted education services. Using a critical technology theoretical framework that examines the impact of technology on people at the individual, educational, and global levels and addresses questions around appropriate use, accessibility, and impact, project outcomes are explored through an interpretive focus on equity, including impacts on student achievement as well as students’ subjective experiences in the program. Potential implications for broader efforts in the field of gifted education to reduce disproportionality in gifted identification and close opportunity and excellence gaps beyond gifted identification reforms are also explored.

Equity in Edtech by Design

“…The digital divide extends well beyond mere access to the internet and technology; it is recognized as a fundamental right by the UN (Kormos & Wisdom, 2023). Policy makers need to consider not only the persistent wider socio-economic issues posed by digital divide inequities, but also other overlooked and under-represented groups of users, as, for example, highlighted by Bright and Calvert (2023) regarding gifted students. Additionally, the digital divide is not only confined to disparities between developed and developing countries or urban and rural areas; it may be evident even within the same district or neighbourhood (Huffman, 2018).…”

“…The authors of this report acknowledge that characterising educational technology and its implementation often stems from particular Western perspectives, which may inadvertently perpetuate educational inequities. Critical Technology theory is pivotal in equity research, offering a framework for addressing technology-related biases within the education system (Bright & Calvert, 2023). This framework aids researchers in navigating complex issues, including the equitable use of technology and its effects on underrepresented student groups.…”