TECH FOR ALL: How can educators make sure technology creates learning opportunities for at-risk students, rather than broadening the achievement gap through disparities in access?
In "Using Technology to Support At-Risk Students' Learning," a review of more than 70 research studies, the Alliance for Excellent Education and the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education offer some ideas. The report's main takeaways for how technology can benefit at-risk students: focus on interactive learning and student creation, rather than rote memorization and testing, and provide a combination of teachers and technology, rather than using programs to replace in-person instruction. As Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, explains, "Replacing teachers with technology is not a successful formula"--rather, districts must make a plan for how technology can assist educators before bringing it into the classroom.
