Three commonplace digital equity gaps for AI and emerging educational technologies: access, design, and use¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Building on the US National Educational Technology Plan, the brief identifies "three commonplace gaps that impact digital equity for AI and all emerging educational technologies: gaps in access, design, and use." For AI uses to be compatible with Digital Equity, access must be ensured, the design of AI in education must address learner variability and be responsive to students' needs, strengths, and backgrounds, and use must be fair and equitable for all students.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Ensured access; design that addresses learner variability and is responsive to students' needs, strengths, and backgrounds; fair and equitable use

Constraints¶

• Applies to AI and all emerging educational technologies, per the US National Educational Technology Plan

Target Learners¶

• all students
• including students historically blocked from opportunities to learn

Target Learning Objectives¶

• equitable access to and fair use of AI in learning

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Three ways to engage with AI in educational contexts: Interact, Create, and Apply
• Digital Equity Framework: three divides of access, use, and design
• State Digital Equity and Opportunity Framework: five domains across education, workforce, and housing sectors

Examples¶

• Implement a systems change approach addressing five factors simultaneously for AI and digital equity
• Make nine 'big plays' across three focus areas — sustaining access infrastructure, upskilling the educator workforce, and upskilling students, families, and caregivers — in state digital equity and BEAD plans
• Design verification and mutual-evaluation assessments for fairness and feasibility: alternative response modes, equitable AI access, selective documentation, and planned workload

Key Sources¶

• A Look at AI Literacy, and AI and Digital Equity. (2024). Digital Promise. https://digitalpromise.org/2024/02/20/how-ai-for-education-can-address-digital-equity/