Elevate Equity in Edtech - by Victoria Thompson (Paperback)

About the Book

Discover the connections between technology and equity, and develop a road map for integrating the ISTE Standards into your work to help foster equity in your school community.

Book Synopsis

Discover the connections between technology and equity, and develop a road map for integrating the ISTE Standards into your work to help foster equity in your school community.

School leaders and administrators often view themselves as the instructional leaders of their schools, and for good reason. So much of what happens in a school revolves around leaders guiding educators to provide high-quality, engaging instruction. But due to their multiple responsibilities, some administrators are not fully aware of the technology and tools teachers are using, and could use additional insight into how technology can be used to innovate instruction and foster equity.

This book addresses these issues, with guidance on how to create an equitable technology landscape by implementing the ISTE Standards, which can provide structure for assessing technology use and serve as a gateway to equity for students, teachers, school leaders and more.

This book will:

• Help education leaders and coaches understand how technology can assist them in achieving greater equity in their school community.
• Demonstrate how effectively integrating the ISTE Standards can lead to greater tech equity in schools.
• Help readers formulate a plan for their school's edtech mission and vision, with guidance and examples on technology visits and evaluations.
• Guide readers in implementing a system of technology accountability in their schools.
• Support educators with practical resources and introduce the author's comprehensive process for selecting technology tools with equity in mind.

Through this book, school leaders will gain a deeper understanding of the connections between technology and equity, and get actionable steps for building a whole-school approach to elevating equity.

Audience: Education leaders; instructional coaches

Review Quotes

School Library Journal, Susan Catlett

"A work that views equity through the lens of educational technology. Thompson creates a template for introducing and continuing, in conjunction with ISTE Standards, to provide a practical framework for school leaders and instructional specialists to support equity work in school communities. The book begins by defining what constitutes technology equity as well as the evolution of technology from an end in itself to a tool for learning. By utilizing the ISTE Standards, the author is able to provide a comprehensive, worldwide roadmap to meaningful, substantive technology usage. She addresses the Standards through five perspectives: students, educators, education leaders, coaches, and computational thinking competencies. Each chapter opens with guiding questions from the Standards as a sidebar and ends with resources for further understanding of the topic under consideration, a summary of key points, and questions for further reflection. Back matter includes an index, references, and appendices covering AI considerations, technology mission and vision statements, an equity plan template, and a technology classroom visit template."

About the Author

Victoria Thompson is an education technology consultant, a keynote speaker and an award winning educator. She began her journey teaching fifth and sixth grade math and science in Summerville, SC. After completing her master's degree in curriculum and instruction, she moved to the Seattle, WA, area, where her career has pivoted to focusing on digital transformation, STEM integration in schools, technology in instruction and using technology to bridge equity gaps in education. She works with school districts across the world to address topics such as technology equity and capacity-building with professional development, and has presented at conferences such as ISTE, FETC, TCEA, IDEAcon, Impact Education, CUE and DigCitSummit on topics such as using technology to create inclusive math classrooms, the intersectionality of literacy and STEM, equity in instructional coaching, culturally responsive STEM education and equity in educational technology. In 2023 she was named one of the Top 10 Most Visionary Leaders in Education by CIOLook Magazine. Additionally, she was named one of the Top 30 K-12 IT Influencers in 2021 by EdTech Magazine and one of ISTE's Top 20 to Watch in 2023. She lives in Winter Garden, FL, with her wife, Kourtney, and their dog, Ren.