Reframing the 3 Digital Divides

Like most educators, principals are problem-solvers, dedicated to the service of their students, families, and communities. And one problem that’s top of mind now is what we think of as the “digital divides”—the disparities among students’ access to, and use of, educational technology in service to learning.

Understanding these divides is crucial for any principal who seeks to ensure equitable access to, and active use of, technology in their school. With that in mind, the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) has a lot to offer.

The plan outlines three divides:

1. The Digital Access Divide. This refers to the disparity in access to the foundational tools needed for effective learning with technology. It encompasses:

• Hardware: Do all students have home and school access to reliable devices such as laptops or tablets?
• Connectivity: Is high-speed internet available at school and at home for students?
• Content: Can all students access the digital resources and learning materials necessary for their education?
• Accessibility: Are the devices and content accessible for students with disabilities?
• Digital health, safety, and citizenship: Are students equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world safely and responsibly?

2. The Digital Design Divide. This is the gap in educators’ ability to design learning experiences that leverage technology effectively. It’s more than just basic software skills; it demands:

• Professional development: Do teachers have access to ongoing professional development opportunities to learn about and integrate technology into their teaching practices?
• Instructional leadership: Does your school leadership provide support and guidance for teachers to leverage technology effectively?
• Instructional design: Are teachers skilled at designing engaging and effective learning experiences that incorporate technology in a meaningful way?

3. The Digital Use Divide. This is the gap between students who are asked to use technology in active ways and their peers’ more passive experiences with digital tools. It goes beyond having access to a device; here’s what matters:

• Digital literacy skills: Can students navigate online environments, search for information, and use technology for problem-solving and critical thinking tasks?
• Curriculum integration: Are curriculum frameworks and learning objectives designed to seamlessly integrate technology across different subjects?
• Student agency: Do students have opportunities to explore, create, and learn independently with technology?

These divides are interconnected. For example, without access to devices (Digital Access), students cannot practice digital literacy skills (Digital Use). Similarly, without adequate professional learning (Digital Design), teachers might struggle to create engaging learning experiences with technology (Digital Use).

Knowing Where to Go

While closing each of these divides will help states, districts, and schools move toward digital equity, principals can be key agents of change in closing the Digital Use Divide in the schools they lead. As stewards of the missions and visions for their schools, principals drive expectations for the use of technology in service of learning within their classrooms. These are expectations best developed in collaboration with all members of the school community, NETP says.

One of the more than 50 examples of systems working to close digital divides comes from Nevada’s effort to develop a “Portrait of a Nevada Learner.” Created over two years with input gathered throughout the state, Nevada demonstrates the importance of engaging all stakeholders at multiple points in determining what schools want for their students. For principals beginning to define the kinds of tech they want to use to support learning for every student, a scaled-down version of Nevada’s process can provide a template for garnering valuable input from your school community. Surveys, PTO meetings, coffee-​with-the-principal events, and staff meetings all represent opportunities to ask what the best use of technology for learning might look like in your school.

This thinking drove the transformation of Atlanta Public Schools’ M. Agnes Jones Elementary School, a Title 1 school serving a majority Black student population. The school was committed to having students develop solutions to local problems. Starting in kindergarten, students learn the Stanford d.school’s engineering design process and practice it in science, English-language arts, and math.

Students also put the process into practice. When fifth grade students discovered that insects were destroying a community garden near the school, they used the design process to tackle the issue. After learning that bats eat thousands of flying insects every hour, they used augmented and virtual reality technology and online 3D modeling to design and build bat houses to attract more bats to the area. Along the way, students learned relevant facts about gardening, composting, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability.

At M.A. Jones, teachers, coaches, and even custodians participate in professional learning, because school leaders recognize that building capacity is the only way to make this kind of learning sustainable.

Design for All

If principals want students to have equal access to active learning experiences using technology, ensuring that all students can access those experiences is key. In addition to accessibility and assistive technology considerations, NETP points to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines as instrumental in helping educators create learning experiences that don’t hinder students.

UDL intends to make learning accessible and effective for students by reducing barriers in instruction and addressing individual differences, learning preferences, abilities, and backgrounds. UDL emphasizes the need to design instructional materials, evidence-based learning activities, and assessments to maximize inclusivity and accommodate a wide range of learners.

UDL practice offers flexibility in the presentation of content, ways in which students demonstrate their learning, and student engagement. UDL also incorporates appropriate accommodation and supports for all students, including students with disabilities and English learners.

Principals who understand and use the UDL framework know that active learning in pursuit of a given learning target will look different for different students. When they visit classrooms and see students listening to podcasts, working with manipulatives, interacting with 3D models, reading books, and engaging in conversations at the same time, they recognize that each learner is taking the best path to learning for them.

The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan outlines a way forward for schools to better realize the untapped potential of technology in service of learning, but the vision requires a clear portrait of what we want for students, educators, and learning spaces, and it must include sustained, high-quality, job-embedded professional learning to help all educators become educational designers. Closing the digital divides will require school leaders to expect and champion active learning for all students, designed with their inherent differences in mind.

Zac Chase is digital equity impact fellow with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology.