Digital Divide
Education news, analysis, and opinion about the inequities in students’ access to technology and their effect
Classroom Technology
Cautious Clicker or Traditional Learner? Pew Looks at Adults' 'Digital Readiness'
More than half of U.S. adults are "relatively hesitant" when it comes to using technology for personal learning, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center.
Classroom Technology
Telecom Sprint Launches Campaign to Close 'Homework Gap'
The wireless provider pledges to bring connectivity to 1 million impoverished students, by offering them free smartphones, tablets, laptops, and "hotspot" devices.
Ed-Tech Policy
E-Rate Requests for High-Speed Internet Connections Keep Growing
School and library requests for federal support for many high-speed Internet connections more than doubled since 2015, according to a new analysis by Funds for Learning.
Equity & Diversity
Teachers in High-Poverty Schools Less Confident About Ed Tech, Survey Finds
Teachers' confidence in ed tech varies based on the type of school they work in, concludes an analysis from the Education Week Research Center.
Equity & Diversity
$45 Million in Bond Funds to Flow to N.Y. Schools for Technology
Fifty-two New York districts will receive technology funds following the first meeting of the review board for a massive new state bond program.
IT Infrastructure & Management
FCC Expands 'Lifeline' Program to Bridge the Digital Divide
Education and civil rights groups hailed the move as a critical step toward closing the "homework gap" that exists between students with and without adequate Internet access.
Classroom Technology
In Fla. Schools, Digital Divide Shifts From Access to Use, Research Finds
Low-income Florida students are more likely than their affluent peers to use classroom software for drill-and-kill practice, according to new research.
Classroom Technology
Can Ed Tech Power a Social-Justice Approach to 'Disruption?'
Mobile devices and digital tools can help disenfranchised youth to challenge the existing social and economic order, according to new research to be presented at AERA.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Video
Are Rural Students Getting Shortchanged in the Digital Age?
Rural schools are often charged outrageous rates for lousy Internet service, an ongoing equity challenge that has drawn increasing attention from Washington.
Equity & Diversity
Q&A
'Homework Gap' and Lifeline Vote: Q&A With FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel
New subsidies for home-broadband access and more public Wi-Fi are among the strategies Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel wants to see the FCC adopt.
Ed-Tech Policy
Pending FCC Decision on Lifeline Program Could Impact 'Homework Gap'
The commissioners are expected to vote on a proposed expansion to the telephone subsidy program that would cover broadband Internet for America's lowest-income households.
School & District Management
Comparing Paper and Computer Testing: 7 Key Research Studies
New evidence of a "mode effect" on 2014-15 PARCC exams prompts a fresh look at research on the comparability of computer and paper-based assessments.
Standards & Accountability
Maryland PARCC Scores Higher on Paper; Students' Tech Readiness a Major Factor
Paper results on 2014-15 PARCC exams were better than online results in all grades for English/language arts and in upper-level math, reflecting a national pattern.
Equity & Diversity
Rhode Island PARCC Scores Lower on Computer-Based Exams
A state-by-state breakdown shows that Colorado, Rhode Island and Illinois found some evidence that students' familiarity with technology impacted scores on 2014-15 PARCC exams. An analysis in Maryland is pending.