The barriers to digital equity in the classroom do not stop with the physical, digital, and socioeconomic, however. Even if students have access to hardware, software, online content, and community support, if they do not have the human resources that provide them with an adequate knowledge of how to use them, they will not be able to get very far in terms of digital literacy. Human resources, as far as educational digital equity is concerned, are essentially exactly what they sound like: having access to human beings with ICT literacy and flexible curricula who can help students to become digitally literate-teachers. It is important to have a clear definition of what constitutes ICT literacy in an educator. A teacher who is deemed "ICT literate" should be able to operate computers physically, search accurately for information on the Internet, create content designed for the Internet, and use relevant software effectively. In addition, they must be able to incorporate technology effectively into their r espective curricula, not just to make what they already do more efficient, but to enrich and enhance the students' education as a whole.
Unfortunately, there are several problems with obtaining human resources. First and foremost, there is a distinct paucity of teachers who are adequately trained in using ICT effectively in education. Also, many teachers find it hard to break free of exam-driven curricula that are focused on fast learning and memorization. Data from the National Center of Educational Statistics has shown that the greater the level of poverty is in a school system, the more likely it is that the technology within that school system is used for drills rather than for exploratory projects (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 21). Lower socioeconomic bracket schools, where such teachers are the most sorely lacking, are generally the ones which have the most difficultly attracting well-qualified teachers (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 21). This is an ironic occurrence that causes a lot of problems for the people who need help the most.
The causes of these issues are, like the rest, many and varied. However, the common thread of causes seems to be the result of inadequate funding. Without funding, it is impossible to pay for teacher training, and lower socioeconomic bracket schools are unable to provide qualified teachers with the pay that they want. Part of this didactic divide, as it has been termed, results from more than issues of technology or the technological skills teachers have; rather, it is because of the fact that high-poverty schools are largely unable to attract well-qualified teachers (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 21). However, even in the cases where schools are able to employ teachers who are proficient in technology, there are many teachers who do not utilize technology and their knowledge of it appropriately in their curricula. "One of the enduring difficulties of technology use in education is that educational planners and technology advocates think of the technology first and then investigate the educational applicati ons of this technology only later" (infoDEV). The major problems in teaching and learning today are not issues with wiring the technology; rather, they result from a lack of planning as to what should happen after the wires, wireless technology, or some other ubiquitous devices are provided (Bracey and Culver 1). It is essential that technology be put to a constructive, enriching use in education; however, in most cases, this is not happening.
This results from more than just a lack of training; it is as a result of teachers' teaching methods. The majority of teachers teach the way they themselves were taught (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 19). With each new educational technology that has been created, developers from outside the school culture introduced them with strong words regarding the huge impact these devices will have on the school system. In reality, most of these technologies have had little fundamental impact on teacher practice. Many teachers view technology as simply a way to make current teaching methods more efficient (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 10-11). In the context of education, this means that many teachers use computers for drills and repetitive practice, rather than for doing research and communicating with other students on the Internet, producing multimedia projects and graphical presentations, or engaging in other problem-solving, exploratory projects (Solomon, Allen, and Resta 21). This is especially true in poorer schoo ls, whose use of computers tends to focus on keyboarding and repetitive CD-ROM drills-skills which indirectly train them to take orders. Wealthier schools, on the other hand, tend to use their computers for collaborative learning projects with emphasis on communication-learning experiences which will prepare them to take managerial and professional roles in their futures (Monroe 26-27). In order for ICT to have any significant impact on education, however, it is essential that it is used to enrich and enhance all students' educational experiences, not just to make them more efficient.
In terms of changing curricula, there are several development goals that teachers must meet. Teachers should not just build technical skills in their students for the sake of doing so; they should build upon these skills by using ICTs to enhance their students' educational experiences (Republic). This entails assigning class work and projects that necessitate Internet research, multimedia presentations, web design, and other student-oriented activities. It is not enough to simply learn about technology; in today's world it is essential to learn through technology as well. It is very possible that the line distinguishing these two facets of technological education will blur to the point of non-existence. For example, consider a science class: students could use computers as a medium for modeling phenomena, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating their results (Bracey and Culver 1-2). In order to learn through technology in this way, students would need to have a prior knowledge of how to use co mputer for these purposes. Digital literacy involves providing students with the tools that they need to participate in the world around them in an intelligent, knowledgeable manner (Bracey and Culver 23). Teachers should strive to instill in their students all types of literacy, because they are all needed for success-even survival-in the world of today and the future.
Many organizations are attempting to solve these problems by way of instituting teacher training courses and workshops. It is important that these courses teach appropriate technology in effective ways. In addition, they should not only teach about technology, but also about the most effective ways for teachers to use that technology in the classroom. One such teacher training initiative is the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to use Technology (PT3) grant program, which began in 1999 to bring new ideas, models, and collaborations to teacher education. Additionally, in an effort to identify and distribute strategies to improve digital equity to educators and policymakers, a group of teachers within the PT3 community initiated an effort which they call the PT3 Digital Equity Task Force (Solomon, Allen, and Resta xiv). This group initiates and sponsors teacher training workshops and circulates information to educators regarding technology and its uses. Programs such as this which encourage teachers use techn ology creatively rather than just as an expedient are essential if technology is ever to be used effectively in the classroom.
Though teacher training is a widespread phenomenon, there are some novel strategies to overcome human barriers to digital equity in the classroom that have not yet been tried on a large scale. For instance, there are not many schools that have used non-traditional educational software in their curricula. However, those schools that have tried such software have gotten positive results. For instance, a study conducted in the region of Vadodara, India was conducted wherein the students of one primary school played mathematical computer games for two hours a week. Equivalent schools in the area were not given these games; they continued teaching as normal. At the study's conclusion, the students from all schools were given a comparison test in mathematics. The students who played the computer games scored significantly higher than those who did not. In addition, the students who had been academically at the bottom of the class benefited the most; boys and girls benefited the same amount. The students score d well because of a combination of computer use, teacher training, and innovative educational software (Wagner, et al. 22-23). Such software would be optimally effective it were used as a supplemental element of the curriculum. If computer games were a staple element of school life, it is highly probably that students would experience more harm than good. Children should be reinforced with software such as computer games, not trained to expect constant light heartedness and quick turnovers.
It may also be helpful to emphasize peer-to-peer leaning in an effort to overcome the human barriers. Consider, for example, the Facebook-like project suggested earlier. Perhaps students would be able to exchange project ideas and take part in projects together, with the supervision and guidance of older students. An organization which partakes in activities similar to this is TakingITGlobal (TIG). TIG is "an online community that connects youth to find inspiration, access information, get involved, and take action in their local and global communities" (TakingITGlobal). Essentially, TIG.org functions as an interactive platform wherein youth from around the world can post information, progress, and results of community action projects they are doing. In addition, they can obtain support, feedback, and suggestions from other users (TakingITGlobal). While TIG focuses on community involvement, a similar project with an emphasis on academic achievement could foster peer-to-peer learning, thereby helping to overcome the human barriers to digital equity in the classroom.