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iTooch 7th Language Arts is a fun, free app that offers 7th graders an interesting way to learn language arts based on common core standards. The app features more than 1,602 activities on android and IOS with some ads involved and an option to upgrade to an ad-free version.

Useful features include:

• A clear, simple and engaging interface with bright colors • Speech synthesis option to enhance reading comprehension • Multi-player options in the same app tto keep track of progress • Font size adjustment • A virtual blackboard  

•Offline option to play

• Lesson summary at the end of each chapter

• Power ups to increase motivation at each level

Itooch Language arts 7 provides activities in 5 areas of Reading, Writing and Composition, Grammar, Vocabulary and  Communication. There are 51 chapters per title with lessons, examples, and figures.

While teaching a lesson  relating to standard LAFS.7.RI.1.2 requiring students to determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text iTooch Language Arts 7 can be used. There’s a “whats in a summary” section that can be used to reinforce what has already been taught or used as a formative assessment.  

iTooch has a companion Monster Messenger App that can be used to share students’ progress with friends and to interact with other players. Monster Messenger provides a safe social networking experience for kids and their families, where parents have full control of their children's contact list.

iTooch is a very innovative and interactiive app that can spice up Language Arts classes. iTooch also has apps available for  1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade and 8th Grade in Language Arts, Math, Science and Music.

References

Features: Blackboard, Calculator,Badges, Belts - eduPad. (2017). eduPad.        Retrieved 29 March 2017, from http://www.edupad.com/features/

iTooch elementary trailer (eduPad). (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 30 March 2017,    from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dDTy04ERx4

iTooch Language Arts 7. (2017). Play.google.com. Retrieved 29 March 2017,      from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edupad.app.grade7.languagearts

LAFS.7.RI.1.2 - Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their   development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved 30 March 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/6000

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Science4us.com

Teaching is exciting and amazing but we all have our off days and days were we have to teach a lesson that is not our favorite or is downright boring. Imagine, you are asked to teach a science lesson on motion to a 4th grade class. At the end of the lesson, students should be able to recognize that an object in motion always changes its position and may change its direction as per standard  SC.4.P.12.1.  Science is suppose to be fun, exciting and creative but as the teacher, you may feel stuck and try to revert to a boring lesson. 

Instead... We could use some resources from Science4us.com. Instead of giving some long winded speech about motion that nobody will remember to introduce the topic, a video from science4us.com pertaining to motion could be used. This short exciting song is a perfect way to get kids’ attention and a fun catchy way to learn about motion. By the end of the video, the students will be able to say at least one thing they learned about motion for an exciting discussion. Take a look..

The video above is just one example of how science4us can be used in teaching. The website is so much more.The website is strictly science based for Elementary level, its interactive and most importantly, standards-based so there is not need to worry about finding appropriate information for use in class. The website  features activities from Physical, Inquiry, Lifeand Earth/Space Science.  This is not just another science website, what makes this site special is the fact that it has games, songs, videos, simulations and other ways of engaging students to accommodate their learning styles and build STEM skills.This site would be perfect for diverse classrooms and could even help students with disabilities since there isn’t only one type of activity or one mode of getting the information. 

Science4us.com is designed for grades k-2 but recommended as a revision tool for grades 3-5. also great for homeschoolers and has an app available on Apple and Chromebook. The program provides Animated Lessons That Engage Young Learners 1000+ Lessons, Activities and Worksheets Support for Teachers and Parents Integrated Language Arts & Math Skills Automated Reporting. There are packages for Teachers and Parents with the parents’ package being a $7.95 monthly subscription and Teachers getting the option of a free 30-day trial then special pricing. There are some free resources, lesson plans and strategies offered by the sit for teachers to use even without purchasing membership. 

I think this site is a great resource for teachers and students to use wish it was all 100% free but the site has many free resources, games and activities.  I also think it is affordable if one’s interested in purchasing a subscription.Fortunately, some of the video content from the site can be found on Youtube.com when science4us is typed in the search bar. 

References

Early Elementary Science Curriculum - K-2 Interactive Science Program. (2017). Science4us.com. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from http://www.science4us.com/

SC.4.P.12.1 - Recognize that an object in motion always changes its position and may change its direction.. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/1694

The Motion Song. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKmhS4qLj_s

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Digital History

American history is a common and important subject area in most schools. The subject has many topics, facts and dates to remember and finding accurate information can be overwhelming. Digitalhistory.uh.edu is a comprehensive website with tons of information on history topics. The website features a timeline where one can select the period of events specific to the topic. The timeline not only features the dates but also media, textbooks, documents and teacher section so users can choose 1960s for example and overlap this with a textbook or media section. 

Some of the most outstanding features of the site includes History Eras, Topics, Resources and References. In a 5th grade social studies class, I could teach about the significant events of the  American revolution as required by standard SS.5.A.5.1. To support my lesson or to use as a resource for projects,  we could research our topic on digitalhistory.uh.edu. Under ERAS, we could select American revolution or select 1760s on the timeline to fine the information. When American Revolution is selected, we have the option of choosing a printable version. 

We also get the option to choose from textbooks, documents, people, event, quizzes and more.  For projects and research, there is also the reference room section that allows users to find information from newspapers, court cases, museums, etc. 

digitalhistory.uh.edu is a one stop shop for all things history. It has many different sections, resources and links to choose from. It would be a great classroom resource for social studies, American History, American Government and similar subjects. The only thing I found to be troublesome is the lack of a search-bar so users cant type in words and phrases to be fund. I was impressed with the quiz section being printable and containing answers so teachers don’t need to make-up questions for students to review. 

Overall, this site is an awesome go-to resource for social studies and history teachers as it covers topics relevant to all grade levels.

References

"UH - Digital History". Digitalhistory.uh.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 Mar. 2017.

 "Standards". Cpalms.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 Mar. 2017.

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Illuminations

An astounding website from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) provides free teacher resources, lesson plans, online games, and brainteasers. The lesson plans include Common Core standards, assessments, and links to related lessons.   The site includes and easy to use navigator giving teachers the option to select the grade, specific content area such as Algebra, geometry or measurement as well as Common Core or NCTM standards. There is also an option to select lesson plans or interactive activities for the class to engage in. Grades range from Pre K to 12 grade so there is no shortage of Math resources available for teachers and students.  

The site features free Math games related to the standards chosen. These games can be played on site or on mobile devices. Adding  to the fun is also brain teasers to challenge students, strengthening their reasoning ability. Illuminations offers a Bright Ideas Newsletter section where teachers can sign up for exciting lesson plan ideas each month. Tis newsletter provides resources, information and new ideas to interested teachers. For additional resources, there is also link on the page for more resources at greatminds.org

Let’s say, I wanted to teach a 9th grade lesson on factorizing algebraic expressions as per  Florida standards MA.912.A.4.3,I could use or modify a lesson from the site. After teaching this lesson, I could use algebra tiles from Illumination to reinforce taught information as an example. A clip from the game can be seen bellow

The site also features interactives that can be played from apps available in the iTunes app store or directly on the website. There is also Calculation Nation where kids can challenge others around the world and investigate math problems together, thereby expanding the classroom experience.

References

http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lesson.aspx?id=2544

Toolkit | CPALMS.org. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved March 1, 2017 from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/ToolkitGradeLevelGroup/Toolkit?id=14

Algebra Tiles (2017). YouTube. Retrieved March 1, 2017, from  https://youtu.be/AgN-kHG4Xa0

Calculation Nation (2017). YouTube. Retrieved March 1, 2017, from  https://youtu.be/LjHmcI7-5tE

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Essential Skeleton 3

Essential Skeleton 3​ is exactly as it seems, a skeleton model. Why would anyone want this? The answer is simple, the learn about the human body.  It more practical and interactive than textbooks, its free and its portable on various devices. Students in grades 9-12 are expected to know the major bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton as per standard SC.912.L.14.14. 

There may be a skeleton already on display in the classroom but while learning about  the shape of bones and how they fit together, it may not be sufficient for each student to get up and examine the model during our limited class time. Having them all examine the model could cause crowding and things to get out of control. The alternative would be to draw individual parts like a femur for example, on the board or project it. With Essential skeleton 3, there is a better way. This app is available free on android, iPhone and windows so each student can have their own model of the skeleton to refer to while learning. In a class discussion, the teacher could also use essential skeleton 3 as a tool to help students learn and visualize parts of the skeleton and students could follow on their phones. This is especially useful or students with visual impairment who may not be able to see the board as well as others. The app displays the skeleton in a virtual 3D  environment and allows users to rotate and move the entire body or singular parts. For clarity, one could zoom in to great magnifications without the image going fuzzy. The app also has an amazing feature enabling users to select multiple bones and isolate or hide them so  one can focus on the surrounding areas.

While studying the skeletal structure in class, we could create and save bookmarks which highlights were we leave off or which sections are vital for review. In addition, the app also has a quiz function, allowing students to drag and drop in practice questions. Progress and bookmarks can be shared with the social media tools available in the app so collaboration could take place if students get a group project.

References

n.d. (2017). Play.google.com. Retrieved 23 February 2017, from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.medical.EssentialSkeleton&hl=en Introducing Essential Anatomy 3 for Android. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 23 February 2017, from https://youtu.be/xmBqxb0aZr8 Toolkit | CPALMS.org. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/ToolkitGradeLevelGroup/Toolkit?id=14

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BBC KS1 Bitesize

BBC KS1 Bitesize is a fun interactive website with free educational games for Math, Literacy (Reading/Language Arts) and Science. Altough the site is British based, the games are interesting and applicable to the American classroom content.

The home screen is colorful, simple and easy to navigate. Simply click on the subject area desired to reveal the games available.

The literacy page features games addressing areas such as spelling, rhyming words, pronouns, joining words and sentences. This would be a great tool to use as reinforcement for lessons.  A great example could be seen in a 2nd grade classroom when teaching standard  LA.2.3.4.4 which requires student to edit sentences  for the correct use of nouns, verbs, personal pronouns, adjectives and adverbs, singular possessive pronouns (e.g., my/mine, his/her, hers). After teaching about pronouns, I could allow students to play the pronouns game or we could play together as a class for a more interactive session depending on the class resources and time factor.

The traveling pronoun game features a series of fill in the blank questions in which the player decides which pronoun is appropriate to aid the characters on their adventure. Here’s a snapshot from the game.

Each game consists of 5 steps and 3 levels ranging from medium to very hard to meet the needs of students. The short length of the games make them great for young children and those with short attention spans .

This site has amazing math and science games challenging students to think critically and use learned information in practical ways like in the video below.

BBC KS1 Bitesize is a great site to house in your teaching toolbox as it offers a fun way for students to utilize content in real-world scenarios. This will serve to enhance students’ ability to integrate new content in their lives. Since this website is free, students could play at home to get extra practice. 

I liked the short nature and interactivity of the games but I was disappeared that there wren’t levels to pass or the capacity to earn and record scores for analysis. Nonetheless, this is still a pretty good website to use for language arts, science and math for grades k-5.

References BBC - KS1 Bitesize - Home. (2017). Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2017, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/ BBC Bitesize Games | Shape Lab 2016 [Full Gameplay]. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 23 February 2017, from https://youtu.be/IkzDqx04PMs Toolkit | CPALMS.org. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/ToolkitGradeLevelGroup/Toolkit?id=14

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PicsArt Animator

PicsArt animator allows users to create animations using drawings, shapes and pictures. 

The images are added on many layers with varying positions. When played, the sequence appears to be moving. This app is freely available for download from the google play store for android and itunes for iPhone. Once the project is created, it can be stored as a GIF or video and posted on facebook , youtube or shared on the picsart community. The project can also be stored and shared with contacts. 

In my 9th grade Visual Arts classroom, I could use this captivating app as a hook at the beginning of my lesson on animation and image sequence as covered by standard VA. 912.F.3.11 (cpalms.org). I could have a discussion and demonstration about image sequence and animation then allow students to create a flip book animation on paper.   

 After creating the flipbook animation, I could allow students to create an animation in Picsart animator to demonstrate thier understanding of image sequence and see the digital, real-world application of animation.

References 14 Greatest Flipbook Animations Masterpieces!. (2017). Your Nr.1 Flipbook Info Resource. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from https://nubuntu.org/best-flipbook-animations Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. (2017). Play.google.com. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.picsart.animate&hl=en PicsArt Release a New apps | PicsArt Animator. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GcMe2Kam5M Toolkit | CPALMS.org. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/ToolkitGradeLevelGroup/Toolkit?id=14

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SCANN3D [Beta]

Scan 3D is where art and mathematics meet to create an innovative free app. The user takes images of the desired object from every angle and the app uses the images to create a beautifully rendered 3D virtual model. Its the practical application of mathematics and art. Projects created in the app can be shared online with friends on the sketchfab.com account or on Facebook. 

 When teaching a 9th grade math class, Florida standard MAFS.912.G-MG.1.1 requiring the use of “geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties to describe objects (e.g., modeling a tree trunk or a human torso as a cylinder)”, this app can be used to engage students. Before or after teaching students about geometric solids like cylinders and cubes, a demonstration of this app can be used to sow students the practicality of the lesson. To go a step further, students could be grouped and given the task of creating the geometric solids using cardboard. When the solids have been created, a small town could be made on a table with the solids and the images from various angles could be taken in this app, then the 3D model could be generated as a demonstration of the lesson learned. 

References (2017). Retrieved 22 February 2017, from https://apkpure.com/scann3d-beta/com.smartmobilevision.scann3d SCANN3D - The mobile 3D scanning application. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from https://youtu.be/TSIwDTDvc68 Toolkit | CPALMS.org. (2017). Cpalms.org. Retrieved 22 February 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/ToolkitGradeLevelGroup/Toolkit?id=14

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Let’s enjoy testing with Plickers!  by Candis Williams

http://www.slideshare.net/nadinegilkison/plickers

Plickers is an awesome app teachers can use during class for assessment. Students are given a card with their number on in and a pattern with the corresponding letter to the question, the teacher scans the classroom for the cards with his/her phone or tablet and their responses get tallied and shown on screen in real time if there is WIFI connectivity (“Formative Assessments with Plickers - Teq”, 2017) .

Magnified plickers card with explanation

The data from each session gets automatically saved on plickers.com so teachers don’t have to worry about writing down scores or manually entering them onto a computer. Finally, we can focus on teaching and having a more interactive class.

http://www.sarahstechnologytips.com/2014/08/plickers-new-take-on-clickers-in.html

Scanned results from the plickers app can be displayed in a graph on-screen so student scan see how the class is doing 

http://www.teq.com/apps/formative-assessments-plickers/

Teachers are required to go through a simple 4-step process to create a free account https://plickers.com/,where the class would be created with student name. s and each student would be assigned a number which appears on their card. The card size can be chosen and printed from the website. A library of questions can be created and gets projected in the live sessions during class.To learn how to sign up, watch the following video 

In my 9th grade visual arts class, I could teach students about color mixing in relation to heat, light and color theory according to the standard VA.912.S.3.8(cPalms.org,2017). This topic is quite complex as students must learn what happens when various colors react with each other and the conditions such color mixing can occur. To track the understanding of my students (formative assessment), I could use plicker instead of giving students a written test. My questions would be projected on the screen in the live session and I would go through the questions with the class. Each student would select their answer and hold up their cards to reflect their choice.The great thing here is that the answers on the cards are not very big for other students to see and the app only records each student’s answer once so I don’t have to worry if I re-scanned the room.  With the plickers app (available on iPhone and android) on my phone or tablet, I would scan the room and the answers would be recorded on the plickers.com and I could show students the graph of how much they understood if WIFI is available. If the results are high for the particular question, we could just state the answer and move on but if the results are low for the answer, we could have a discussion as to why the answer was incorrect.

The following video will provide more information on how to use Plickers

Plickers is a versatile app that can be used with any subject based on the fact that teachers set the questions themselves for students. A wonderful thing is that students can use the same cards throughout the semester, if they are laminated, making this cost-effective. This low-tech tool allows teachers to maintain control of the class while allowing students the same interaction as if multiple devices were being used. With this tool, it is not required for students to have devices or use their devices in class therefore eliminating the possibility of waiting for student devices to startup (wasting limited class time) or having to help students’ with their devices or worrying about students who decide to view other sites during the lesson. 

Do you like or dislike plickers? How would you use plickers in your class?  Comment below.

References

Formative Assessments with Plickers - Teq. (2017). Teq. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from http://www.teq.com/apps/formative-assessments-plickers/

Gades, P., Gades, P., & profile, V. (2017). Classroom Engagement with Plickers and i>Clickers: Student Response Systems. Pamsitblog.blogspot.com. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from http://pamsitblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/classroom-engagement-with-plickers-and.html

Gilkison,. (2017). Plickers. Slideshare.net. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from http://www.slideshare.net/nadinegilkison/plickers

How to Use Plickers in the Classroom. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bejiz2HzUz8

Plickers Sign up. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from https://youtu.be/2tiYRFHAl5g

Sciberus.com, P. (2017). Search Standards | CPALMS.org. Cpalms.org. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from http://www.cpalms.org/public/search/Search

Tips, S., Tips, S., Tips, S., Tips, S., & profile, V. (2017). Sarah’s Technology Tips. Sarahstechnologytips.com. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from http://www.sarahstechnologytips.com/2014_08_01_archive.html

Wilson, Z. (2017). Featured App: Plickers. Springboardmedia.com. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from http://www.springboardmedia.com/blog/featured-app-plickers

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A must-have for every Teacher!

by Candis WIlliams

Google Arts & Culture

Google Art project or Google Arts and Culture, is an interactive website that allows users to view thousands of artworks, photos and videos related to art and history.  This google operated resource can work wonders in the Visual Arts and History classrooms with information from over 1,200 international museums, galleries and institutions from 70 countries available (Google Play Store, (n.d). Instead of simply telling students about an artwork of time period, we could show them on google Arts & culture.

But why stop there? we could have a virtual tour of the museum, skip across continents even. What if we wanted to see a museum in France or visit the great pyramids? Now we can, in the comfort of our classrooms. No need to worry about the hassle of organizing a field trip, simply use google art and culture’s virtual tour feature to look around various places. Google Art and Culture is available as an app so   students could access at home or in the classroom in groups to do assignments.

Google arts & culture is easy to use and operates off google platform that is already in many schools. Interesting content can be shared to Google classroom or other sites.  If the smart board is used, especially for the virtual tours, the class would literally come to life, creating an interactive session were students can touch, move and interact with the displays. This amazing resource can be used to teach any subject from visual arts to history, science, geography and so much from. It can be used from k-12 or even at the university level if we wanted to.

Best of all,, the content aligns with these Florida education standards, just to name a few (“CPalms standards,” 2013):

VA.68.O.1.1

Make connections between the structural elements of art and the organizational principles of design to understand how artwork is unified.

VA.68.H.1.2

Identify suitable audience behavior needed to view or experience artworks found in school, art exhibits, museums, and/or community cultural venues.

VA.K.H.2.1

Compare selected artworks from various cultures to find differences and similarities.

WL.K12.IM.8.3

Compare and contrast the geography and history of countries of the target language and discuss their impact on own culture.

SS.912.A.5.12

Examine key events and people in Florida history as they relate to United States history.

VA.912.C.2.8

Compare artwork, architecture, designs, and/or models to understand how technical and utilitarian components impact aesthetic qualities

As I mentioned above, Google Arts & Culture is available as a website or apps for iPhone or android. Here are some images from the website.  The images change daily but the layout remains the same.

Feel free to click on “Google Arts & Culture” to go directly to the website.

Wondering how to get started? Here's some help:

Search and Timeline features:

References:

CPalms: Search Standards. (2013). Retrieved February 1, 2017, from CPalms, http://www.cpalms.org/public/search/Search

Google arts & culture. (n.d). Retrieved February 1, 2017, from Google arts & culture, https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/

Google Arts & Culture (2016). Meet Google arts & culture Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp4oa7MHg88&t=1s

Google Arts & Culture (2016). Giraffatitan: Back to life in virtual reality #PreviouslyOnEarth Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86gh2HEsp0

Google Play Store. (n.d). Retrieved February 1, 2017, from Google Arts & Culture, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.cultural

Williams, C. (2017). Google arts & culture search & timeline Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui2I3PnZW5s

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Digital Divide?

by Candis Williams

https://wgbyeducation.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/shutterstock_70577767.jpg

To understand digital divide, one must understand digital literacy which refers not only to the use of devices, but also the ability to fully experience online opportunities and engage in interactions. The goal would be to foster Critical thinking about content, the world around them and the achievement of  ''techquity''-in which technology is used to create an equitable education system. Digital divide, came about in the 1990s to describe the gulf between students with internet access and those without.  The digital divide, an article written by Beth Braverman, explores how factors like income inequality, teacher training and even school resources can contributing to the digital divide and how educators can help to lessen the gap.

What is the situation?

After much effort in the early 2000s, most schools are internet enabled but sadly rely on older connection unequipped to withstand the needs and the flood of students and teachers in today's classes. Interestingly, Braverman pointed out that 23% of schools still have inadequate broadband system and 40% lack WiFi capabilities. The demand is only going to grow as more schools implement 1:1 programs, which give every student laptops or tablets.

There is hope!

The good news is that based on the Connect Ed program launched by President Obama, schools will have an upgraded broadband connection by 2018.

Is there a draw-back?

Even in school with connectivity, some teachers do not have the knowledge to operate the technological devices so there may be fear and lack of confidence. For other teachers, the use of technology comes down to priorities. Though technology is useful, Braverman highlighted the “Matthew effect”  in which technology enhanced learning for those students who were already doing well and left the others behind.  This seems to be  partly attributed by the literacy gap between the richest and poorest students  and the gap between online and offline reading.  

How are teachers using technology in the classroom?

With an increased focus on raising test scores in low-income schools, teachers often try to get students to pass the test and therefore ignore digital literacy. In low-income schools, technology is used to  help with memorization for standardized tests (rote learning). In wealthy schools, digitally savvy teachers may use the interactive white board to its full capacity. In low-income  schools interactive white board are used like  traditional blackboards so these students miss out on what technology can really do.

How can we fix the problems?

Training for teacher so they know how to integrate  and evaluate the use of technology in the best way for the most results.  Teachers should also learn about the appropriate amount of time devices should be used.

When a new technology is introduced to the classroom, teachers should teach it first to the students who are the furthest behind.  These students become experts and help teach other students.

Bring technology home because most learning happens outside the classroom so to have a big impact, devices and connectivity should be bought outside of the classroom.

1:1 programs which offers devices to each student.

Both Florida and North Carolina have announced plans to convert in coming years to digital textbooks, with students accessing those books via tablets provided that all children have internet access at home.

Training for adults in the homes to help children use the internet in productive ways.

teaching digital skills and digital literacy from an early age.

Additional steps

According to Braverman, the Future Ready District Pledge, which reflects a commitment to work with stakeholders on a vision for digital learning my help improve the situation. Future Ready Regional Summits allow educators and administrators to learn about best practices for bringing the best of technology into the classroom.

Teachers can:

enhance their own classroom technology skills and literacy via the courses available at Common Sense Media and similar organizations.

Start discussions about bringing more technology focused professional development programs on site.

Look for ways to integrate technology creatively into all lesson plans, such as having students write blogs or record podcasts.

Allow  "play time" for students on classroom devices so that they build skills organically.

Be vocal about the importance of keeping devices up-to-date.

Remember where students are coming from, what experiences they may have and try to meet them halfway.

Braverman's advice to teachers:

Rethink your options  and complete a learning needs assessment. Focus on changing your practice rather than technology.  Figure out how technology can improve the learning that is already taking place. What kinds of technology and tools would support a change or improvement?"

Consider Ruben Puentedura's  SAM R model,  when infusing technology in learning

https://tektreks.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/the-samr-model-an-introduction/

2. Consider the culture of your learning context. Who makes up the learners in your community?

3.  Reflect on your own learning.

4.  Remember you cannot do this by yourself. Being connected is the way to bridge the digital divide. Contact supporters within your district, become a Connected Educator (connected educators.org), consider personal learning networks, and connect and learn with others through social media.

5. Know that you can make a difference. This might be the most important of all.

Comment below, voice your opinion on the digital divide. Has it affected you or someone you know? How could you solve this issue in your classroom?

References

Braverman, B. (2016). The digital divide. (cover story). Literacy Today (2411-7862), 33(4),16.

Unknown (n.d). Digital literacy picture retrieved from https://wgbyeducation.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/shutterstock_70577767.jpg

Unknnown (n.d). Samr model picture retrieved from ttps://tektreks.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/the-samr-model-an-introduction/