مقاله انگلیسی رایگان در مورد یک امر عادی جدید آموزشی، اکتشاف بین بخشی – الزویر 2021

Highlights

Abstract

Keywords

1. Introduction

2. Literature review

3. Research design

4. Results

5. Discussion: The new normal

6. Conclusion

Funding

References

Vitae

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the learning technologies disparity in the U.S. K-12 education system, thus broadening an already existing and troublesome digital divide. Low-income and minority students and families were particularly disadvantaged in accessing hardware and software technologies to support teaching and learning. Moreover, the homicide of George Floyd fostered a new wave of inquiry about racism and inequality, questioning often enabled with and through technology and social media. To address these issues, this article explores how parents and teachers experienced the pandemic through intersectional and digital divide-driven lenses. Data were collected from eight parents of underserved children and nine U.S. K-12 teachers to better understand challenges and best practices related to learning technologies during the pandemic. Data collection also focused on conversations about social justice, exploring specific needs and strategies for addressing technology inclusion and diversity in educational environments. Results from the study suggest that COVID-19 was a source of increased digital divide in terms of community and social support rather than economic means. At the same time, staying at home facilitated family discussions about racism and intersectionality-related themes. Implications are suggested for improving school communities and contexts in dealing with pandemic and emergency learning.

1. Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the learning technologies disparity in the U.S. K-12 education system, thus broadening an already existing and troublesome digital divide [12,17]. Low-income and minority students and families were particularly disadvantaged in accessing hardware and software technologies to support teaching and learning. The disparity was not just financial; for instance, many low-income parents served as essential workers during the pandemic. They returned to work, unable to supervise and assist their children who were at home and attempting to learn remotely. Finally, recent protests about diversity, inequity, and inequality put a spotlight on racism and access to equal rights and opportunities. This unusual and yet pivotal combination of events has led to a critical and urgent need for the exploration of the intersectionality of education, learning technologies, diversity, and equality.

Updated approaches are needed to address these issues, which can have long term consequences for underserved populations, their access to education, and broader conversations about diversity and inclusion. To address this challenge, this study explored how parents and teachers experienced the pandemic through digital divide-driven, intersectional, and community lenses. More specifically, we drew on structural intersectionality to understand how different social systems are intertwined in influencing individual experiences [1,6] and the digital divide [22]. Such an agenda provides an opportunity to reflect on how communities of practice [48] may influence inclusion and support before, during, and after a time of crisis (e.g., a pandemic).