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Volume 15 Number 3
February 13, 2007
ISSN 1068-2341

Digital Equity in Education: A Multilevel Examination of Differences in and Relationships between Computer Access, Computer Use and State-level Technology Policies

Jonathan D. Becker, J.D., Ph.D.
Hofstra University

Citation: Citation: Becker, J. D. (2006). Digital equity in education: A Multilevel examination of differences in and relationships between computer access, computer use and state-level technology policies. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 15(3). Retrieved [date] from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v15n3/.

Abstract

Using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) state assessment and a survey of state-level technology policies, this study examined digital equity in education as a multilevel organizational phenomenon with data from 70,382 students in 3,479 schools and 40 states. Students in rural schools or schools with higher percentages of African American students were likely to have less access to computers. With respect to computer use, girls and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were more likely to use computers more frequently when computers are available in the classroom. With respect to relationships between computer access and computer use, having computers available in a lab increases the likelihood of higher levels of computer use. The results suggested that no more than 5% of the variance in computer access can be attributed to state factors, and less than 1% of the variance in computer use was between states. The findings suggested that where student technology standards are integrated into subject-area standards, computer use was likely lower than in other states. In states where pre-service teachers must meet technology-related requirements to receive their teaching credential and states where funds earmarked for technology are distributed as competitive grants, computer use was likely to be higher.
Keywords: educational technology; equity; state-level policy; multilevel modeling

Equidad Digital en la Educación: Una examinación de niveles múltiples de las diferencias y las relaciones entre el acceso al ordenador, el uso del ordenador y políticas-estatales sobre tecnología.

Resumen
Con datos obtenidos en una muestra de 70,382 estudiantes, atendiendo 3,479 escuelas, en 40 estados a partir de evaluaciones de la NAEP y una encuesta sobre las políticas estatales sobre tecnología este estudio examino la equidad digital en la educación como fenómeno organizacional de niveles múltiples. Los estudiantes de escuelas rurales o de escuelas con porcentajes más altos de estudiantes Africano-Americanos tenían mas probabilidades de tener menos acceso a ordenadores. Con respecto al uso de los ordenadores, cuando los ordenadores estaban disponibles en el aula, tanto las niñas como los estudiantes que recibían apoyo alimenticio ( el almuerzo libre o a precio reducido) tenían mas probabilidades de utilizar los ordenadores con mayor frecuencia. Con respecto a las relaciones entre acceso a ordenadores y utilización del ordenador, tener ordenadores disponibles en un laboratorio aumenta la probabilidad de niveles más altos de uso de ordenadores. Los resultados sugirieron que no más el de 5% de la variación en el acceso del ordenador se puedan atribuir a factores relacionados a los estados, y se observó una variación en uso del ordenador entre estados, menor al 1%. Los resultados sugirieren que los estados que integraban los estándares sobre tecnología dentro de los estándares de las áreas temáticas, el uso del ordenador era menos frecuente. En los estados donde la formación docente de pre-servicio requiere que los estudiantes demuestren conocimientos de tecnología para recibir sus credenciales y estados donde hay fondos destinados para el área de tecnología se distribuyen como subvenciones de manera competitiva, el uso del ordenador tendía a ser más alto.

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some rights reservedReaders are free to copy, display, and distribute this abstract and the associated article, as long as the work is attributed to the author(s) and Education Policy Analysis Archives, it is distributed for non-commercial purposes only, and no alteration or transformation is made in the work. All other uses must be approved by the author(s) or EPAA. EPAA is published jointly by the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education at Arizona State University and the College of Education at the University of South Florida. Articles are indexed by H.W. Wilson & Co. Please contribute commentary at http://epaa.info/wordpress/ and send errata notes to Sherman Dorn (epaa-editor@shermandorn.com).

 

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