As the new school year is beginning in the United States and after an unprecedented 2020, many parents and teachers have to decide what is best for their children and families regarding returning to in-person schooling. Many parents have felt torn about the decision, especially if they have children under 12 since they cannot take the Covid vaccine. Still, other families look forward to the return of in-person school to find relief, give their children the socialization they missed, or have regular access to the tools their children need to succeed in the classroom.

Families who have felt the most adverse effects during the pandemic lack the resources and access to computers and the internet. In fact, according to the American University of Education, 87 percent of households in the US currently have access to a computer, smartphone, tablet, or other internet-enabled devices and 73 percent have access to the internet, yet a digital divide remains. The issue lies primarily with access to high-speed broadband, which is required for individuals to use much of what's available on the internet.

Marginalized communities, including people of color, low-income individuals, English-language learners, people with disabilities, and populations experiencing homelessness, are among those most likely to lack access to high-speed internet. The impact of the digital divide has been significant due to the transition to online learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Although lack of access may seem like it only affects a small sample of the population living in rural areas where broadband service is not available, if we look further, it is likely affecting you or colleagues. The cost of broadband or Wi-Fi can be a significant bill to add to your overall monthly expenses. For example, most Americans are paying an average of $60 per month for broadband, and in some areas, internet plans can run much higher, up to $100 or more for select plans. (www.allconnect.com)

Since most schools offered online school during the pandemic, as a society we realized that having the internet is no longer optional.

This month I wanted to dive deeper into technology and education, so I reached out to Dr. Courtney Teague, a passionate educator to discuss the digital technology gap. Dr. Teague is an executive coach, speaker, professor, chief learning officer, and author. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at Thomas University and the chief learning technology officer at Icarus Consulting and C7 Enterprise. As the author of How to win students and inspire them: The Only Book You Need To Transform Your Classroom, she has facilitated the development of many great teachers. In her many roles, Dr. Teague is committed to advancing lifelong learning and fueling the disruption of traditional learning experiences.

My interview with Dr. Courtney Teague

According to the ACT Center for Equity in Learning, the digital divide in education is the gap between those with sufficient knowledge of and access to technology and those without. Examining the divide requires looking at who can connect to what and how they do so.

As teachers use more technology in their courses, this divide increases and perpetuates socioeconomic disparities for underserved populations. About 17 percent of students cannot complete their homework due to their limited access to the internet. Additionally, according to the Education Trust, 50 percent of low-income families and 42 percent of families of color don't have the technology required for online education. (American University)

The Digital Learning Gap, How Did We Get Here?

We got here by placing education on the back burner. The value of public education didn't exist. When you look at money from the government, you look at policies. The policies have been created but not funded. I think people went through the actions, our politicians, our business leaders. They went through the steps of developing policies and having specific corporate social responsibility programs, but they didn't truly fund it. 2020 COVID provided an opportunity for us to see what was happening; it pulled the sheets off the bed of education. For years as a teacher, I've worked in various districts; I've seen how funding was split but not given to certain schools. It wasn't equitable. The lack of equity and equality is why we are currently in our state because we did not value our students.

Expanding on Dr. Teague’s answer the National School Board Association notes the lack of value, equity, and equality in schools is most prominent in high-poverty areas where 45% of students are black.

It seems to be a highly known fact that most Americans who can afford it try to seek out private schools or neighborhoods with public schools that have high-ranking test scores to ensure the best education for their children. Many people know that schools in these areas are underfunded for many reasons and do not have the same resources as other public schools. This lack of funding has created a wide gap in how students in disadvantaged schools experience education.

Is funding the biggest hurdle to changing America’s approach to education?

Initially, it was funding, but now it's the perception. People who make the rules and the policies either don’t have a clear understanding of what it takes to teach, or they clearly don't understand what powerful teaching and learning look like because our system is antiquated. It's not reflective of where we currently are as a society.

To back Dr. Teague’s explanation that it is more than funding, Teachers College at Columbia University, in an article for Newsday, notes, We are distracted by a divisive debate over whether children are less well-prepared academically than in the past. We are focused on how much we may have lost rather than how much we need to gain if our youngsters will succeed in the future. The nation has rightly recognized that education is troubled, particularly in urban and rural areas. Poll after poll shows better schools among the public's highest priorities.

One of the common areas that get pointed out time and time again by parents is that they feel that the problem with the schools is the teachers. Many teachers respond by pointing out the changing landscape of families, student health, parent involvement, technology, poverty, and classroom sizes.

Dr. Teague explained to me what had changed.

How have expectations changed for teachers in the last ten years?

We're going to ruffle some feathers here. Yes, expectations have changed. Teachers are just like doctors; you're practitioners; you have the minds of our youths in your hands. We want medical doctors to be up to date with the best practices. Teachers should be held accountable for professional learning and staying up to speed with the best tools to be the best teacher possible. COVID shined a light on teachers who were not technologically proficient, but that is a teacher's responsibility. You should stay ahead of the curve as a teacher; you should engage in professional learning. I'm a professor, I still must continue to learn. And when you become a teacher, you take an informal oath or an oath to be a lifelong learner. So it is their responsibility and the school's responsibility to provide the opportunity for the teacher to learn and implement their learnings. I believe in professional learning, which is ongoing, not just take a workshop and go on your merry way, but learning is endless.

How can teachers keep up with the changes in technology?

Start by addressing all the barriers. If you are a teacher that is opposed to learning, I would say, why are you in education? It's not about you; it's about that child. And if it's about that child, you do whatever it takes within your legal rights to ensure that that child has the best education possible. So if this teacher says, Hey, I don't want to learn this. I'm retiring in three to four years. I don't need to know this. Guess what, when you go into that doctor's office to check-in, more than likely, they're going to hand you a device, or you're going to have to do a video conference. You're going to have to know how to use technology. Why not learn it here in a safe space because when you retire, you're going to be exposed to it.

During our conversation, Dr. Teague encourages teachers to get comfortable with collaborative learning, where students sometimes will be the ones teaching the teacher using technology.

The Effects of the Pandemic

During the pandemic, many students fell behind in their school studies, parents took on the role of teaching and became more involved in every hour of their child’s life.

8 in 10 parents say their children are experiencing heightened stress levels
About 7 in 10 Latino and Black Parents are concerned they do not have the resources or supplies to help their child stay academically on track.
About half (51%) of parents reported challenges with distance learning
Nearly 4 in 10 (39%) of White parents report receiving technical assistance to get set up for distance learning, compared to only 29% of Black parents

About one-quarter of parents who reported having challenges reported that they didn't have reliable high-speed internet access or enough devices at home

Low-income families are more focused on financial concerns and being able to provide for their families at this time, while upper-income families place a more considerable emphasis on socializing, friends, and wanting things to go back to normal

More than 3 in 4 (76%) public school parents report higher stress levels than usual. Families earning less than $50,000 annually are experiencing more acute levels of stress – nearly half (47%) of those families report much higher stress levels

(Institute of Education Sciences, The Condition of Education 2020 (PDF))

How Do Schools Plan to Move Forward with Students Who Have Fallen Behind?

Many use the term of learning gap or learning loss, which I prefer not to. I like to say that this is an opportunity gap to personalize learning. We use that language in public K-12 all the time. Now we are forced to meet the students where they are. Some students may be behind, but this allows teachers and schools to explore instructional strategies and practice them. It gives the teacher time to implement, to see what works with that particular student. The education system is like a giant puzzle with multiple pieces that have just fallen on the floor. Now we must take time to put that puzzle back together and think logically.

Before COVID, we measured students' assessments based on normalized tests. Now you can't do that because everyone is in a different space. So now you can't use a test to say, this is where you should be, because now what is the norm of the tests you're going to use when everyone is in a different space? It allows teachers and schools to go back and look at how are you assessing students? Are you judging them based on where they currently are and taking this opportunity to explore the whole child?

What is the Biggest Lesson We Need to Learn From the Pandemic?

That learning isn't just in a box.

We are always trying to think outside of the box, but how do you leverage the skills and gifts you have within your box? 2021 has taught us that we need to get to know ourselves. We need to get to know what we're capable of doing and rely on what we have.

What Do You Think Education Will Look Like in the Future?

The future of education looks like the people that are receiving the instruction. It is no longer cookie-cutter; no longer one size fits all. It will be like Courtney likes to listen to podcasts. Caitlin likes to watch videos. Courtney wants to share by speaking. So I'm going to assess Courtney by her giving an oral speech or her teaching. Therefore I'm going to have a checklist for everyone because now is an opportunity to observe that person, that whole person, that whole student in their element. That way, they demonstrated their learning in a way that their hearts desire, not what I think they should be doing. I believe education is going to become more personalized. You have no other choice. I think the knowledge matter expert will no longer be the traditional teacher but the actual practitioner, and we'll see more of that in the classrooms.

About Dr. Courtney Teague

Dr. Courtney Teague, originally from Alabama, started her career as a special education teacher and soon developed a passion for teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Collaborative Teaching, a Master of Public Administration from Troy University, is a certified education specialist in brain-based teaching, and has a Doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University. She is also an accredited executive coach and Prosci Certified Change Practitioner. Dr. Teague lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her dog, GoHan, and her current research focuses on coaching; diversity, equity, and inclusion; powerful instructional technology use; and leadership development.

In today's world of remote learning, Dr. Teague's decades of experience help guide organizations like C7 Enterprises and Icarus consulting. Dr. Teague has been a past contributor for Huff Post and has branched out and started a coaching practice for individuals who want to get clear about their life purpose and direction. You can find out more about Dr. Teague at www.courtneylteague.com.

About the Author

Annmarie Hylton-Schaub, Head Marketing Strategist and Content Developer at Project Good Work a boutique marketing group focused on helping individuals who want to launch social impact projects, charities, and change-making initiatives. The marketing group works to develop branding, marketing strategy, and content to connect clients with the people who believe what they believe so that their project and business can thrive.

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