Social Justice Education and Technology

Session 4B - Social Justice Education and Technology
Chair: Elizabeth A. Green

The whole conference was done via Skype and upon beginning, the order of the line-up was changed from the order that was written out on the program:

1. Beyond Magic: English Language Learners and the Digital Divide, Kimberly Socha (Normandale Community College), Skype
Kim spoke about her experiences with teaching English to students and how many instructors and professors today require students to hand in typed essays and will not accept hand-written essays, but many students do not know how to used the computer, much less how to use Word Document. She also talked about how she is trying to help those students that don't know how to use a computer and teaching them to use Word Document.

Honestly speaking, her presentation wasn't the most exciting thing in the world, but I do wish that Anthony and, the Chair, Elizabeth showed some more respect, as they spent of the time (very obviously) texting each other. Elizabeth even went as far as to move to a couple different seat (probably so that she would be in the field of vision of the camera so that Anthony could see her as she could see Anthony). I think I paid more attention to watching them try to see each other in the camera to see if the other read the text yet and smiling at the texts and Elizabeth moving around the room while looking at the computer screen to see if she was in the field of vision than to Kim's presentation.

I didn't get much out of it, but I did get this: "Computers aren't magic. Teachers are magic."


2/3. De-schooling the Digital Divide: Technology as a Tool for Communities to Transform School, Vivian Johnson (Hamline University), Skype & Critical Urban Education's Argument for Technology as a Tool for Justice, Anthony J. Nocella II (Hamline University), Skype.
Then, the colleagues Anthony and Vivian took the attention, while Kim sat patiently and listen and paid attention. (The texting didn't exactly stop though.)
They spoke about how they think hat technology was not being utilized to its full potential. For example, today many presenters that weren't able to travel to the event were able to present via Skype and use File Share to share documents (like Anthony and Vivian).

Their point for the day: Digital Equality and Digital Justice.
They believe that access leads to inclusion which will lead to outcome : going beyond digital inequity to digital equity; there are 10 Principles for Digital Justice:
1 - The community owns the technology and promotes activism
2 - Tech doesn't exploit or promote normalcy
3 - Promotes respect, inclusion, and freedom for all (Eg. Universal Design)
4 - Digital Literacy for all
5 - Challenges and resists oppression and domination (Eg. Wall Street)
6 - Critical Intersectonal (and Cultural/Digital Divide) Awareness
7 - NOT neutral or apolitical
8 - Promotes collaboration rather than competition
9 - Interdependency and social networking (ie. not individualism)
10 - Fosters creativity and divergent thinking

Injustice: causing environmental damages and human and nonhuman health problems;  exploiting people, nature and nonhuman animals [Honestly, I have no idea how they got here from Digital Justice and the Digital Divide.]


I was only one of two people that stayed here for their presentation. Everyone else went to the other room, apparently because the topics there were really "Hot Topics." Maybe I should have gone to that room too. Then maybe I would have had something to write about other than the Love Line Story of Anthony J. Nocella II and Elizabeth A. Green.

The question section was mostly a recap of what they already said and discussing with Elizabeth and the other guy about why there weren't any people at their presentation. I think the other guy just wanted to clarify some points. He seemed pretty into the discussions (kind of), so I'm thinking he may be a professor somewhere. (Or after some research, I am led to believe that he a part of the Syracuse Peace Council.) He would have a much better Chair than Elizabeth. She could have sat in the back texting Anthony and they could be texting back and forth like immature teenaged lovers.

Enough bashing, I really don't enjoy bashing people, but I don't like it when people are disrespectful like the way that they were.

This post was written by: Korean Lovers

Korean Lovers is a professional blogger korean Addict, web designer and front end web developer. Follow him on Twitter