Equal Access: What does it mean?

Last week in class, we discussed the topic of equal access to technology in the schools and in the classroom for students.  We discussed it in class with a few different groups of people to get different ideas going.  People have different ideas of what "equal access" means: some people I spoke with felt that teachers should not assign homework that students who don't have computers at their home could not do, while others felt that they should be given free periods during school to do technology-related homework.

To me, this is not equal access.  Equal access is exactly what it looks like: making sure that every student has the resources they need when in the school environment.  Unfortunately, as teachers and administrators, it is not possible to control or regulate what students have access to or what their parents do.  All we can do as educators is make sure that we are there to help them if they need it, and to give them every opportunity during school hours to use technology.  There are public libraries, homes of relatives and friends, and free periods during school which all students are able to use.  In this age of technology, I do not think teachers should have to tip toe around the fact that not everyone has a computer in their home.  The truth is, technology is everywhere--if it's not in your home, you can find free access very easily.  As long as you help your students get to that resource, you are doing your job.

When I was in elementary school, computers were just beginning to be a regular fixture in American homes.  I remember we were required to type up a paper--this was a huge deal.  Many of us had never used computers, and almost no one had computers in their homes.  However, we were given ample preparation time for the project, and lots of opportunites to work on it.  I went to my neighbor's house and typed up my report.  Until we got a computer at my home, that's what I did.  Teachers today are still going to give students plenty of time to do large projects--using a public computer is perfectly acceptable for students to have access.

I also believe that "equal access" is giving students the opportunity to learn about all of these programs and tools that they will be expected to know how to use and navigate after they are done school, regardless of whether or not they had a computer in their homes growing up.  As educators, it is our responsibility to give our students the opportunity to learn about these things to prepare them for their careers.  There are computer labs in the schools they are able to use to practice these programs and tools, as well.

As long as students are getting all the help they need in the school and access to the resources they need to grow and improve, educators are doing the best they can without regulating students' personal lives.