IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v66y2021ics0160791x21001123.html

A new educational normal an intersectionality-led exploration of education, learning technologies, and diversity during COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Gandolfi, Enrico
  • Ferdig, Richard E.
  • Kratcoski, Annette

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the learning technologies disparity in the U.S. K-12 education system, thus broadening an already existing and troublesome digital divide. Low-income and minority students and families were particularly disadvantaged in accessing hardware and software technologies to support teaching and learning. Moreover, the homicide of George Floyd fostered a new wave of inquiry about racism and inequality, questioning often enabled with and through technology and social media. To address these issues, this article explores how parents and teachers experienced the pandemic through intersectional and digital divide-driven lenses. Data were collected from eight parents of underserved children and nine U.S. K-12 teachers to better understand challenges and best practices related to learning technologies during the pandemic. Data collection also focused on conversations about social justice, exploring specific needs and strategies for addressing technology inclusion and diversity in educational environments. Results from the study suggest that COVID-19 was a source of increased digital divide in terms of community and social support rather than economic means. At the same time, staying at home facilitated family discussions about racism and intersectionality-related themes. Implications are suggested for improving school communities and contexts in dealing with pandemic and emergency learning.

Suggested Citation

  • Gandolfi, Enrico & Ferdig, Richard E. & Kratcoski, Annette, 2021. "A new educational normal an intersectionality-led exploration of education, learning technologies, and diversity during COVID-19," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:66:y:2021:i:c:s0160791x21001123
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101637
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X21001123
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101637?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. João Pedro Azevedo & Amer Hasan & Diana Goldemberg & Koen Geven & Syedah Aroob Iqbal, 0. "Simulating the Potential Impacts of COVID-19 School Closures on Schooling and Learning Outcomes: A Set of Global Estimates," World Bank Research Observer, World Bank Group, vol. 36(1), pages 1-40.
    2. Gregor Wolbring, 2008. "The Politics of Ableism," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 51(2), pages 252-258, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Larisa Gorina & Marina Gordova & Irina Khristoforova & Lyudmila Sundeeva & Wadim Strielkowski, 2023. "Sustainable Education and Digitalization through the Prism of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Iqbal, Muhammad Zahid & Campbell, Abraham G., 2021. "From luxury to necessity: Progress of touchless interaction technology," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    3. Zhao, Yong, 2022. "Teaching traditional Yao dance in the digital environment: Forms of managing subcultural forms of cultural capital in the practice of local creative industries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Camilleri, Mark Anthony & Camilleri, Adriana Caterina, 2022. "Remote learning via video conferencing technologies: Implications for research and practice," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Jian Li & Eryong Xue & Kun Li, 2023. "Exploring the Challenges and Strategies of the Sustainable Development of Female Teachers in China’s World-Class Universities: Stakeholder Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, February.
    6. Vallès-Peris, Núria & Domènech, Miquel, 2024. "Digital citizenship at school: Democracy, pragmatism and RRI," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Guo, Congbin & Wan, Boshen, 2022. "The digital divide in online learning in China during the COVID-19 pandemic," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Hahm, Joon Beom & Byon, Kevin K. & Hyun, Yeon Ah & Hahm, Jeongbeom, 2022. "The show must go on: The mediating role of self-assessment in the relationship between performers’ technology acceptance and satisfaction level with remote performances in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    9. Barrutia, Jose M. & Echebarria, Carmen, 2021. "Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on public managers’ attitudes toward digital transformation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nico Leonhardt, 2024. "Silent Processes in Higher Education: Examining Ableism Through an Ability‐Critical Lens," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 12.
    2. Alkire, Sabina & Nogales, Ricardo & Quinn, Natalie Naïri & Suppa, Nicolai, 2021. "Global multidimensional poverty and COVID-19: A decade of progress at risk?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    3. Gregor Wolbring, 2012. "Expanding Ableism: Taking down the Ghettoization of Impact of Disability Studies Scholars," Societies, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-9, July.
    4. Liu, Jing & Lee, Monica & Gershenson, Seth, 2021. "The short- and long-run impacts of secondary school absences," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    5. Lennox, Janet & Reuge, Nicolas & Benavides, Francisco, 2021. "UNICEF’s lessons learned from the education response to the COVID-19 crisis and reflections on the implications for education policy," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. Kim Hua Tan & Poh Phui Chan & Nur-Ehsan Mohd Said, 2021. "Higher Education Students’ Online Instruction Perceptions: A Quality Virtual Learning Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-24, September.
    7. Anita Starzyk & Jana F. Bauer, 2025. "Three Dilemmas of Disabled Employee Voice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 201(4), pages 941-967, November.
    8. Ake-Kob, Alin & Blazeviciene, Aurelija & Colonna, Liane & Cartolovni, Anto & Dantas, Carina & Fedosov, Anton & Florez-Revuelta, Francisco & Fosch-Villaronga, Eduard & He, Zhicheng & Klimczuk, Andrzej , 2021. "State of the art on ethical, legal, and social issues linked to audio- and video-based AAL solutions," EconStor Research Reports 248470, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    9. Nora Lustig & Valentina Martinez Pabon & Guido Neidhöfer & Mariano Tommasi, 2020. "Short and Long-Run Distributional Impacts of COVID-19 in Latin America," Working Papers 2013, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    10. Ross, Timothy & Bilas, Patrick & Buliung, Ronald & El-Geneidy, Ahmed, 2020. "A scoping review of accessible student transport services for children with disabilities," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 57-67.
    11. Carlana, Michela & La Ferrara, Eliana, 2021. "Apart but Connected: Online Tutoring and Student Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic," CEPR Discussion Papers 15761, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    12. Comeau, Élyse & Kelly, Siobhan & Ross, Timothy, 2025. "Advancing the design and implementation of accessible taxi services: A study of driver and disabled rider experiences," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    13. Moses, Mark & Kharas, Homi & Miller-Petrie, Molly & Tsakalos, Goli & Marczak, Laurie & Hay, Simon & Murray, Christopher & Dieleman, Joseph L, 2021. "Global poverty and inequality from 1980 to the COVID-19 pandemic," SocArXiv x47np, Center for Open Science.
    14. Guido Neidhöfer & Nora Lustig & Mariano Tommasi, 2021. "Intergenerational transmission of lockdown consequences: prognosis of the longer-run persistence of COVID-19 in Latin America," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(3), pages 571-598, September.
    15. Shinsuke Asakawa & Fumio Ohtake, 2021. "Impact of Temporary School Closure Due to COVID-19 on the Academic Achievement of Elementary School Students," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 21-14, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    16. Naudé, Wim, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Recovery from COVID-19: Decentralization, Democratization, Demand, Distribution, and Demography," IZA Discussion Papers 13436, IZA Network @ LISER.
    17. Boruchowicz, Cynthia & Parker, Susan W. & Robbins, Lindsay, 2022. "Time use of youth during a pandemic: Evidence from Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    18. Murat, Marina & Bonacini, Luca, 2020. "Coronavirus pandemic, remote learning and education inequalities," GLO Discussion Paper Series 679, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    19. Ji Liu, 2021. "Bridging Digital Divide Amidst Educational Change for Socially Inclusive Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.
    20. Teresa Shiels & Neil Kenny & Roy Shiels & Patricia Mannix-McNamara, 2021. "Incivility in Higher Education: Challenges of Inclusion for Neurodiverse Students with Traumatic Brain Injury in Ireland," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:66:y:2021:i:c:s0160791x21001123. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.