Technology (and Its Implementation in Schools) Is Widening the Opportunity Gap

[Commentary] The way we handle technology in schools is widening the opportunity gap. This isn’t just my opinion; many educators echoed this sentiment at the annual EduCon conference in Philadelphia (PA) and Teach for America’s (TFA) 25th anniversary summit. In my mind, there are five big implementation issues in my mind that rise to the top—and I bill them as “we” problems, because I know I’ve been guilty of every single one of them in the past.
Issue #1: We punish kids for using technology that feels natural to them.
Issue #2: When we give teachers in low-income districts technology, we often fail to train them or give them the space to experiment.
Issue #3: When we give low-income students technology, we often fail to give them freedom or creative spaces in which to use them.
Issue #4: We are failing to involve families in the implementation of technology.
Issue #5: There aren’t enough public spaces to talk about this issue and potential solutions.