Louisiana's Technology Gap in Educational Resources and Practice

According to Tony Davis, a member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), “We know there is a pretty good gap between where we are and where we need to be.” This was reported in a recent article in The Advocate, a Baton Rouge newspaper, titled “Latest public school challenge? How to narrow 'pretty good gap' in classroom technology” by Will Sentell. In the same article, state senator Conrad Appel stated, “ If we don't find a way to aspire to the highest level of technology in the classroom, we are going to get even further behind.” One thing is clear from both of these statements, Louisiana has a problem when it comes to educational technology. What is not clear: just how big that problem is or how it might be fixed. It is no secret that Louisiana is at the bottom of most educational rankings. So, it should come as no surprise that we are behind or that there is a gap in terms of educational technology. The question remains, however: What is “further behind” and what is a “pretty good gap”?


Let’s look at some statistics from the article that help to illustrate this “pretty good gap”:

• School districts are not regulated concerning education technology. 

“Internet access, up-to-date computers and the availability of laptops for students varies from district to district because they are mostly on their own when it comes to classroom technology.”

• Not all schools take the role of technology coaching seriously.

“Some school districts have half a dozen educational technologists. Others have none.”

• Due to income inequality in an already poor state, many students do not have access to a computer or WiFi at home.

“Major gaps exist in whether students have computers and Wi-Fi at home, especially in a state where two out of three public school students live in low-income households.”

• When schools have the technology available, teachers often do not have the knowledge or training to utilize it.

"’What we see so often is a teacher in the classroom may have this amazing smart-board in the room but may not know how to connect it to the laptop,’ Davis said.”
"’Or they can handle that piece, but they are just not good at the pedagogy in engaging students with the new tool,’ he added, a reference to teaching skills.”

• For some school systems, there is no funding for technology

Sentell’s article also mentions a task force that has been put together in an attempt to address these issues. That task force consists of representatives from the Louisiana School Boards Association, Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office, CenturyLink, and other firms. The article does not mention any specific members by name. I checked BESE’s website and only found this link addressing current task forces in Louisiana.

As an educator and parent, it is clear that there is a “pretty good gap” when it comes to technology in the classroom. As one who is privy to some of the talks and discussions about school and district initiatives, as well as teacher concern, fear, and apathy toward the role of technology in the classroom, it is clear that something must be done to help our students learn the technology skills necessary to compete for jobs in a workforce that will demand they have these skills. It is my sincere hope that this task force is able to make some difference in this regard. However, as as long as districts make their own decisions about technology and must make those decisions in the face of mounting economic pressures for higher teacher pay and communities who refuse to pass tax increases, I see little hope that this will be the case.

An even bigger problem that I believe keeps Louisiana from closing this gap is a lack of vision from the top of many school districts. If every district superintendent and school board felt as passionately about the necessity of technology and strong teachers who utilize technology in teaching and learning, we would not be having this discussion. The fact that there are districts that have no educational technologists is alarming. This means that those districts have not valued the incorporation of technology into the educational process at all. I like to believe that this is due simply to the fact that many district administrators are as fearful and uniformed about technology as those teachers who actually have the tools at their disposal, but who are not sure how to use it.

At Wall EdTech, we have made it our goal to help educators remove that fear by offering training through our website on how these tools can be utilized in the classroom. We have done this at no cost by providing links to resources, a podcast with teachers discussing these tools and their integration, screencasts with detailed instructions, presentations at the Louisiana Computer Using Educators Conference (LACUE), and in school training experiences. We would like to extend an offer to help districts as well. If a school district feels that technology is important, but is simply too uninformed or too overwhelmed to begin the process of correcting this situation, feel free to contact us. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss the role of technology--however big or small your vision. We believe that with some training and guidance, every school system can make wise decisions monetarily to begin incorporating the hardware, software, and training needed to help Louisiana close this gap. If two teachers living on teacher salaries can create and maintain resources for educational technology, every school district should be able to find the means to begin the process of addressing their own students technology needs.

As a reminder for all teachers, but especially our friends and colleagues in Louisiana, Wall EdTech is a resource for you. If we can help you overcome your fear of technology or provide you with knowledge on tools or methods of integrating that technology, please visit our website and reach out to us online via twitter, facebook, or email. Let’s all work from our end to close that “pretty good gap”.