Accessibility of Technology in Education (Research Paper Sample)

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Table of Contents
 TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u  HYPERLINK \l "_Toc387786084"
Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc387786084 \h
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Technology in Schools  PAGEREF _Toc387786085 \h
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Providing technology in schools  PAGEREF _Toc387786086 \h
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Technological devices selection  PAGEREF _Toc387786087 \h
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Support initiatives  PAGEREF _Toc387786088 \h
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Universal learning design  PAGEREF _Toc387786089 \h
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Educational technological tools  PAGEREF _Toc387786090 \h
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Newer technologies  PAGEREF _Toc387786091 \h
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Accessible instructional materials  PAGEREF _Toc387786092 \h
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Assessment  PAGEREF _Toc387786093 \h
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General Analysis of Technology Access in Educational Institutions  PAGEREF _Toc387786094 \h
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Internet, software, and technical support  PAGEREF _Toc387786095 \h
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Technology training and effectiveness  PAGEREF _Toc387786096 \h
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Technology usage  PAGEREF _Toc387786097 \h
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Perception of technology  PAGEREF _Toc387786098 \h
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The role of education association in Technology accessibility  PAGEREF _Toc387786099 \h
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Promoting Technology in Education  PAGEREF _Toc387786100 \h
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Conclusion and Recommendations  PAGEREF _Toc387786101 \h
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Works Cited  PAGEREF _Toc387786102 \h
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Accessibility of Technology in Education
Introduction
Technology is one of the fastest evolving human discoveries that have transformed almost every aspect of life. Technology has changed how people spend their leisure time, interact, learn, and work. Specifically, digital technology including computers and other information communication applications have revolutionalized how people access information, conduct business, and communicate. It is both expected and reasonable that technology should lead the way of improving the learning process in schools (Bauer and Kenton 520). Furthermore, incorporation of technology in education is an essential ingredient of levelling the playing field in the current education system, mainly across geographical, gender, and racial divides. The use of technology in school presents new approaches to teaching and learning. This is achieved through the introduction of a system that promotes involvement of both the students and instructors in the learning process and increases the accountability of the education system to the students, parents and the community (Wiliam 7). Studies have shown that new technological developments have the capability of enhancing the learning process and ultimately the development of new knowledge fronts. This is mainly due to its accessibility to vast collection of information and the speeded up connection between people for inspiration, feedback, and information (Creighton 5). As much as technology promises to revitalize the education system, there are numerous evidences that question the effectiveness of technology in education with regard to achievement issues and equity (U.S. Department of Education 7; Bain & Weston 5). This paper attempted to analyse this issue by focusing on accessibility of technology in education
To review this issue, this paper collected information from various secondary sources that examine the issue specifically or related issues. The information was collected from most recent documentations regarding technological applications and their use in the education system.
Technology in Schools
There is a general belief among many scholars that persuasive and thoughtful application of technology in schools can alleviate educational inequalities between well-developed institutions and under developed educational institutions (Bain & Weston 15). Specifically, educational inequality can be as a result of geographical location, race, economic development status, disability status, and distance from city (Groff and Mouza 22). The use of technology presents a possibility of the education system meeting the needs of the learners individually. However, the use of technology as a solution to educational inequalities cannot be achieved in isolation, but it is a key ingredient in enabling educational institutions manages several challenges in the education system (Bauer and Kenton 522).
According to Creighton, technology is an enabler in the teaching and learning process (12). He further suggested that the use of technology could improve the learning process through providing and organizing learning materials for students, improve the levels of interaction between students and instructors, and speed up the process of prioritization and authentication of online educational material. Technology also visualizes, stimulates, and interacts with scientific models, processes, and structures making learning process active and interesting. More so, technology effectively promotes speedy account of historical developments, which are considered the building blocks for future trends (U.S. Department of Education 10). Technology in education is also an important tool for promoting education among the handicapped as it acts as an enhancer and extension for this people. In addition, the use of education provides tools that bridge the gap between different communities around the world by offering automated translator for a multilingual class (Wiliam 2). All this findings clearly indicate the central role played by technology in globalization and standardisation of education.
Similar findings were developed by Bauer and Kenton who viewed technology as a channel that offered unlimited possibilities of boosting educational experiences and opportunities as well as enhancement of important employment skills in the population (524). Several other studies insist that technology has a potential of facilitating qualitative and fundamental changes in the teaching and learning process (Bain & Weston 21)
However, it is hard to separate technology and equity. Provision of access is not substantive enough to guarantee enhancement of the teaching and learning process, neither does it assure of improved educational achievement in the population (Wiliam 54). As much as technology can be provided evenly in several institutions its use among, students and instructors vary resulting to variance in the impact of technology in education from one institution to another (Creighton 56). The lack of appropriate goals, objectives, and approaches for evaluating effectiveness, trained deliverers, and structures for application may limit the impact of technology in learning process.
Several factors have been considered important in ensuring positive impact of technology is felt in the education system. To begin with, leadership is considered very important in the process of integrating technology in education. Thus, the leadership should be founded on firm educational objectives. Another important necessity is sustaining professional development with focus on the core vision of the educational institution (U.S. Department of Education 14). A third aspect is the adequacy, where the level of technological inputs must be adequate to meet the needs of the institution in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. The institution should also recognise that change that has lasting impact takes time. This is important in planning to ensure the implementation process does not skip vita stages. Additionally, the system should be subject to periodic evaluation to enable the administration and instructors to assess the level of attainment of their goals and hence make necessary adjustments in cases of underperformance (Groff & Mouza 22).
Leadership and vision have been considered imperative elements of technology standards in education (Creighton 32). In this case, management in education should facilitate collective development of the vision for technology in schools by all the stakeholders. The vision should be well communicated such that all the affected parties are fully aware of the implications of technology in education. The management is also supposed to maintain a cohesive and inclusive process of development, implementation, and monitoring the technology in terms of its range, dynamism, and systems with relation to the vision of the institution (Walker et al. 2). Moreover, the management should push for research-based approaches in the use of technology in education. Based on these factors, analysis of accessibility is central to meeting the various needs of effective use of technology in schools.
Accessibility and utilization are important tools for measuring the levels of achievement of technology application in education (Wiliam 45). For technology to be usable, it should be accessible to both instructors and students. Other than being accessible, it should be utilizable by teachers as well as student in diverse settings. As far as accessibility is concerned, the use of computer in the learning process has improved greatly over the past four years (Bauer and Kenton 520). However, the fact that technology is not limited to the use of computer in schools, it is necessary to analyse the concept in detail.
Providing technology in schools
The process of providing assistive technology is not limited to purchase of technological devices but also ensuring the learners benefi...