From an article by the Association for Progressive Communications (2008), "Equitable access is about addressing social and economic imbalances when developing policy and rolling out ICTs, so that people from diverse backgrounds have more or less similar opportunities when it comes to accessing and using technology".
So, how can we ensure that everyone has access to technology. In the world today, most public libraries have free access to technology for those who are not currently pursuing an education. However, not all schools have equal access to technology. There are some schools where each student has their own tablet or laptop while others have computer labs that have to be shared by teachers. It is our responsibility to ensure, regardless of circumstances that our students have access to technology.
Ultimately, there needs to be a way for teachers to have access to tech resources that they can allow the children access to. Studies by Sean Wolohan, a Science and Math teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, show that "33% of families below the poverty line access the internet solely through a mobile device" and that of these "Only 21% of those students without home access use public libraries to access the internet". This means that if we are giving assignments that require internet use that there will be a number of students with out access! So how can we do it?
At our school we are fortunate enough to have recently received three sets of brand new computers for all three of our computer labs. We also received one class set of tablets per grade level for the students to use. These have been wonderful additions to our school! The next step would be to ensure that there is access to technology for each student in each class. The best way to do this is through grants! There are various grants that pour millions of dollars into technology in the classroom every year! Research done by the website Positive Learning (2016) shows more than seven ways to get funding and grants for technology in the classroom:
"As past educators, we know how tedious it can be to search and apply for grants and funding for your classroom. Fortunately, there are a bunch of ways to get gadgets into your classroom with out actually taking money out of your own pocket. We decided to make it a little bit easier by showing you some opportunities that you can take advantage of. Here are 7 ways to receive funding for technology in your classroom!
1. Technology Donors Program – Technology Donors Program matches teachers with prospective donors. In order to participate, teachers compile a wish list of technology devices they want for their classroom and add them to their “classroom profile” which also consists of classroom stories and experiences. Donors can then search through the various profiles and choose to either donate funding or purchase an item from the wish list for the teacher. After each time a donor purchases an item for a school, Digital Wish gives the that particular school 2-10% cash back as aid for their next technology project. Deadline is ongoing.
Website: http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/teachers
2. Donors Choose – Teachers post what they need in particular for classroom projects on the website. A donor can choose to help fund the project and when the project reaches it’s goal, the website send the materials directly to the school. The program supports K-12 classrooms, and public charter schools, in all 50 states across America.
Website: www.Donorschoose.org
3. Computers For Learning – Computers For Learning gives classrooms computers and facilitates the transferring of computers from government agencies and the private sector to schools and educational nonprofits. In order to be eligible to receive computers, a school must be a k-12 public, private, homeschool, or parochial school. Deadline is rolling.
Email: Computers.Learning@gsa.gov
Website: http://computersforlearning.gov/
4. Computers Recycling Center (Computers and Education) – The CRC collects used computer equipment and reuses and refurbishes them. They then send the computers to Computers and Education so the program can give them to teachers, schools, community programs, foster kids, and disabled elderly through city and county agencies. The CRC has kept over 100,000 tech items out of landfills.
Email: info@crc.org
Website: http://www.crc.org/
5. Digital Wish Grants – (Source – Tool Factory and Olympus) Digital Wish Grants aims to help teachers receive funding for technology in their classroom. Through this program, teachers that submit a lesson plan are automatically eligible to be entered to win up to 50 technology grants. Participating teachers can share classroom stories and experiences and Digital Wish Grants will add them to the website. This allows potential donors to make a contribution. Deadline is rolling.
Website: http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/grants
6. Corning Incorporated Foundation – The foundation supports grants for instructional technology for the classroom among a variety of other grants. Currently, the foundation gives 136 grants in education totaling about $3 million.
Email: huthjm@corning.com
Website: http://www.corningincfoundation.org/guidelines/
7. Funding Factory – (Source – Environmental Reclamation Services, LLC) Funding Factory is a free fundraising program for schools, nonprofits, and charities that encourages the donation of empty printer cartridges, cell phones, and various other electronic devices. Once these items are recycled, the organization earns points. The points can be exchanged for new technology (that can be used in school) or cash. The deadline is ongoing.
Website: http://www.fundingfactory.com/
Here are other sites and opportunities to search for grants and funding for your classroom. These sites have a wealth of grant information and updates:
Grants.gov – This site gives the opportunity to search and apply for federal grants. On the website, the teacher can search for technology grants by plugging in a key word or clicking on the category.
Email: support@grants.gov
Website: http://www.grants.gov/search/basic.do
MultiMedia & Internet@Schools - This is a magazine that looks at the different technologies used in K-12 schools. The website includes a grants section.
Publisher: Information Today
Email: custserv@infotoday.com
The Foundation Center – The website provides the opportunity to search for funders in a particular area.
Website: http://foundationcenter.org/
eSchool News online – This is an online monthly newspaper that contains an updated grants section.
Email: ifo@escholnews.com
Website: http://www.eschoolnews.com/funding/
Grants Watch – Website posts federal, state, city, local, and foundation grants on one website. The grants are categorized by type (i.e. teacher grants).
Website: http://www.grantwatch.com/
Twitter – Follow @winmoregrants https://twitter.com/winmoregrants
Get on this before school starts and you could have a room full of ipads before you know it!"
References:
Progressive Communications. Retrieved from
https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/research/equitable-access-papers-and-commentaries.
Unequal Access. Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-04-13-how-
teachers-can-provide-equal-learning-in-a-world-of-unequal-access.
Classroom. Positive Learning. [Blog post]. Retrieved from
https://positivelearning.com/blog/2016/2/11/7-ways-to-get-funding-and-grants-for-
Video Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-at0XaQymiM.
Image Reference:
https://educatorpages.com/site/edtechproject/pages/equitable-digital-access.
