2.2.1 Equity issues: student access to computers, Internet, and software programs
One concern for inclusive remote teaching is student access to computers and software tools. Many low-income students may not have a personal computer or may be sharing a personal computer with others trying to work from home. Many universities provide site licenses for common software tools for enrolled students. However, these may be limited to computers that have accessed the campus wireless network - i.e., a desktop computer in the student’s home or place of business may not be covered. In this case, the instructor may consider use of cloud-based tools or platforms. Cloud-based platforms refers to a situation in which software is hosted on a server and not the student’s computer. Google Sheets is an example of a cloud-based equivalent to Microsoft Excel or Apple Pages. If the student has access to their Google account, they can access the software to do their activities no matter what computer they are using. Similar services exist for other data analytical applications, such as RStudio Server for courses using R or JupyterHubs for courses using R or Python for data analyses. If the university has a Microsoft 365 affiliation, this is another option for cloud-based programs.
Instructors must also consider that, while open-source or cloud-based tools are free, access to a stable internet connection is necessary to use these tools (Sarvary and Gifford, 2016). If the only way a student can access the internet is through a mobile device, are the tools mobile-compatible? Internet availability can be a challenge to some students who reside in rural areas or in large communal living situations with limited bandwidth. Additionally, from a socioeconomic standpoint, students may not have access to reliable internet due to the inability of their families to afford it. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to amplify this disparity due to the economic downturn. Some students may have the ability to make a phone a “hot spot” for internet. Others may need to use public spaces (e.g., coffee shops, public library) which may prove difficult if pandemic-related social distancing protocol are still in place. Some internet providers gave COVID-19 breaks to students and families during spring, 2020, but it is unclear if those affordances will carry into fall. At the institutional level, there needs to be a concerted effort to assess the needs of students and make sure every student has computer and internet access. At the course level, clear and explicit technology expectations of the course should be shared with the students prior to enrollment, and should be included in the syllabus and in the course description, if possible. Lastly, it will likely be advantageous for instructors to poll students prior to the start of the course to assess individual technology access and limitations, this information can be used to make adjustments or find alternatives.