Digital Citizenship in Schools...Appropriate vs. Inappropriate Digital Access

In slowly reading Digital Citizenship In Schools by Mike Ribble, I have been further intrigued by Chapter 2, The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship.  Before the presentations last week, I kind of "skimmed through" these nine elements however after, I went back and really carefully read these 9 elements.  I have really taken to heart the essential questions posed because I can easily either relate or quickly answer.  For example, Ribble asks, "Does everyone in your school have equal opportunities as far as technology use is concerned?  Do all students have the opportunity to be involved in a digital society?"  Teaching in a school that is extremely behind in technology, I simply answer both of these questions, unfortunately, with, "No."  In my classroom, I have one functioning desktop computer.  My one computer is wired to an eno board which I try to use everyday because it's the only technology I have to use in my room.  We have one laptop cart available for use for a building of 800 students, so availability is limited.  As a teacher who would really like to incorporate more use of technology in the classroom, it's just not available.  To answer the question, "Do all students have the opportunity to be involved in a digital society?"  My response is, yes, they do however not in my classroom.  Students do take online courses to enhance their typing skills.  They also do take an internet course however I am not 100% sure how it's used.  I do believe students are taught and guided on how to effectively and safely use the internet while using it to it's greatest potential.  These courses are important because of the digital world we live in.
In further investigating with several of the "digital teachers" at my school, I was able to determine that they most definitely incorporate 21st Century Skills on a daily basis with their students.  They incorporate proper online etiquette as far as what is appropriate and not appropriate.  Further, "the 4 C's" are most definitely incorporated within their classes.
Students collaborate daily with each other on projects they are working on via the internet.  They are able to bounce different sites off of each other in class and discuss what sites are "good" and which ones are "not so great."  How great for students to be able to do this without the sole instruction of the teacher to tell them what is good and bad to use.  Students are expected to communicate with each other in order to reach their goals.  Specifically, I am talking about a competition the technology teachers have amongst their classes.  I believe it's a "typing" competition in which students need to master certain levels of typing in order to advance to the next level.  Although students are not researching online, they are linked in with each other in order to communicate where they are in the specific lesson of typing.  This actually encourages communication in order for students to encourage each other.  Creativity aka "risk-taking" is another characteristic that these tech teachers encourage.  Students are encouraged to think "outside the box" in order to complete assigned activities as well as use their critical thinking skills.  Students are required to complete "thought questions" at the beginning of their classes which involve and range from internet safety to responding to a class blog given by the teacher.  For example, one question one day was to research different ways to purchase a book.  Sounds so incredibly simple but for students to have to think outside of "Barnes and Noble" was interesting to watch and listen to. 
Ribble makes a valid point, "Teachers and administrators need to understand that technology will be important to the future of all students, not just a chosen few."  With the new Smarter Balance Assessment coming down the line, I don't see how all of our students will be accommodated during this time.  Right now, as it is, we have 1 computer lab, one lap-top cart, and one lap-top cart that belongs to the LA Department.  There are 2 other "computer labs" however they are where computer technology teachers teach, so it's not like they are open and available all day.  As a classroom teacher, I think about my students, their needs and how they will be during this new testing.  Ribble also points out "Examples of Inappropriate Digital Access" and one point states, "Teachers fail to accommodate students who do not have access to technology."  Does this mean within ones classroom or does this mean within the school as a whole where there is one computer class offered during a rotation?  If it's within the classroom, as of right now, it's out of my power to accommodate each child with technology everyday, although I do use my eno board daily and I do have the kids use it when appropriate, so would that count?  I just wish our school would update to the times and do a "revamp" of the technology because it's going to be needed in 2014-2015 for Smarter Balance.  I'd hate to have students not do well because our technology isn't "up to date" or our server is so small that it's "backing up" and freezing screens of students taking the new assessment.  As a classroom teacher seeing this coming down the pike, I have major concerns for my school and students.

Unfortunately, I don't see, at this point in time, how my CCSS in Math are going to be met once the Smarter Balance program is rolled out.  The CCSS are intense, in depth, and will take some time itself to master what is appropriate to use with the students.  We are also implementing a new text along with the new Common Core this year, so to get a grasp on new standards and a new text book series is certainly no simple task.  It's overwhelming as a classroom teacher to have to juggle new expectations and a new text series....how is it going to be once we need to incorporate all of this with now new technology?  We have barely any technology as it is, so to have to put that on top of everything else is another "stress."  Again, when Ribble states, "Teachers fail to accommodate students who do not have access to technology," I really take it to heart.  To me, I interpret this as, I am failing implementing the CCSS, I am failing at incorporating new text that does have online capabilities but I can't use them because of having one computer, not one for each student.  Sometime, I hope, down the road, I will have enough technology for all my students to use.  I also hope that I will become more knowledgeable with technology to make it worthwhile and more engaging for my students.  With the depth of the CCSS and the amount of application needed in order to fully execute the standards, I would hope technology can assist in the "real world learning and application" of the standards. 

At the end of "Digital Access" Ribble poses an "inappropriate" scenario and an "appropriate" scenario.  The inappropriate scenario assumes all parents have access to the internet to view paper forms/notices online so therefore no paper copies will be sent home anymore.  This assumes all parents have access to the internet.  What if there are notices to print?  This means they must also have a printer.  Not all parents are going to have the access.  "Appropriate access" at least gives the option to parents/guardians to either go online for forms or pick up paper copies should they not have internet access.  I guess my point in highlighting this is that my school, at this point, will NOT put our newsletter online.  Every month it is printed (about 20 pages) and sent home.  The option has not been to put in on our website.  I feel our school is backwards to what Ribble presents.  Again, it's my hope that my school will buckle up and get with the times to accommodate these kids and their learning.