Diversity and ISTE Standards

The module for the week addressed diversity in technology and the integration of ISTE and AASL standards.  The lack of equal access to all students with technological resources was concerning to me.  The Code.org (n.d.) article highlighted the discrepancy of equality for all students regarding computer sciences and the detrimental effects that occur for students without this access.  Specifically, females and students of color are mostly impacted by the lack of access to these resources. Computer science courses are a necessity to prepare students for collegiate work and ultimately the workforce (Valenzuela, 2022).  

One way to improve access with technological resources is to offer technology programs to all students.  Technology integration should no longer be a choice. Bias should not exist that promotes computer science fields to a specific gender or ethnicity. Our school utilizes a rotational schedule for related arts, each class receives library instruction every 7 days. As a school librarian, I can incorporate technology into the media center’s rotational planning, for all grade levels and classes.  As I have previously learned and discussed in education and library sciences coursework, not all students learn in the same manner.  The same concept applies to computer science coursework.  As a school librarian, I must be cognizant that the technology material which I am teaching reaches all students.  One educational concept that Valenzuela (2022) discusses is through project-based learning which gives the students ownership of their learning experiences.  As the school librarian, I would facilitate computer science group projects that encourage students to work together, building their rapport and sharing the knowledge that they are learning (Valenzuela, 2022).  Being mindful and understanding of the fact that students come from various backgrounds and experiences helps bridge the gap with access to technology and computer science coursework. 

The readings and lectures for the week have provided me with an opportunity to envision how I will incorporate technology into my future school librarian role. Not only is it important for me to facilitate learning with the students, but I also must keep abreast of technological tools.

References

Code.org. (n.d.). Code.org's approach to diversity & equity in computer science. Code.org. https://code.org/diversity

Valenzuela, J. (2022, November 18). 3 ways to ensure that all students have access to computer science. ISTE.org. https://iste.org/blog/3-ways-to-ensure-that-all-students-have-access-to-computer-science#:~:text=Equity%20in%20CS%20requires%20an,equitably%2C%20in%20succession%20and%20effectively