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Hi, my name is Carson Rich, I am from Jacksonville, Florida. During my time in school I have been involved with computer classes. Elementary school I was a part of a computer program where we would do most of our assignments and quizzes through that. Then in middle school we were required to take computer classes, we would have desktop laptops that were the schools and we would learn all about computers and applications that could apply for future careers. Then in highschool I took IT classes. I think opportunities where schools are able to provide computers for the class can be helpful for those who do not have the accessibility to one or internet. Schools could work with internet providers to set up a plan or hot spots at different local places around towns to help encourage students to get involved and be able to work on a computer.

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Hey yall, my name is Haylee Hampton and I’m from Paris, Tennessee. It’s a small rural town about an hour and a half west of Nashville. Since it’s a small town, many people don’t have access to wifi who live out in the country. During covid, my school system had to come up with a way for students to be able to do their homework. So what they did is they loaned out computers to all students who needed them and they also extended the wifi range out into the parking lot. This allowed students to come to the parking lot to sit and do their schoolwork and go home as they needed to. I think this was a great idea at the time for them and also a great way to help with digital inequity. And I think a great way to help, also, is to allow students to have a chromebook that follows them. So they keep the same one for different grade levels. I think that 3-5 they would get a new one, 6-8 they would get a new one, and then 9-12 they would get a new one. But once they move to the next grade level the lowest grade within that level would get that one. So once they move to 6th grade the 3rd graders would get them, and so on and so forth. I think that would be a great to help with digital inequity in any town because it is so prevalent nowadays and everything is online.

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Hi, my name is Amelia Zucatti and I am from a small rural town in New Jersey. I remember mostly experiencing digital inequity throughout elementary school. When we received chrome books in my later years of elementary school, I remember it being such a huge thing. A lot of my town is lower income, so having this access to this technology was a game changer for a lot of kids. One thing that also was a struggle growing was the access to internet. Being from a rural area a lot of people did not have internet access, or the internet was always cutting out(I still experience that when I am at home now). I think the best solution for this would be to make internet more accessible. Having these devices are a great thing, but not having internet access makes the devices almost useless.

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Hey! My name is Haley Basinger, and I am from Lone Tree, Colorado. This is about 30 minutes south of Denver. I do not have personal experience with much digital inequity, as most of my schools provided chromebooks or ipads for every student. Whether this be to be used in the classroom only, or to be taken home and rented out, we were always provided with them, if we needed them. Once in high school, most students had a laptop of their choice that they would bring daily, and if not students could rent them for the year. However, today I have noticed that there is a great divide of students who either have no access to the digital materials and services they need or cannot afford them. In today's culture, it is practically expected that everyone has a digital smartphone and access to internet (wifi, cell service, etc), although it is all crazy expensive and costs add up monthly and yearly and creates a divide. I believe that by potentially creating a system where individuals can rent out devices and wifi devices or apply for an aide program that provides these, we can decrease the digital divide and increase the equity.

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Hey everyone, my name is Payton Rhodes and I am from Henderson,TN. It is a small town about 2 hours west outside of Nashville. Starting in Kindergarten through high school I went to a public school. In elementary school, we did not have access to computers or technology as students. Over Christmas break this year I subbed in the elementary schools where I attended and each child now has an assigned computer to use during class. However, our teachers had projectors and smartboards. I even remember having box tv’s that we would use sometimes to watch something during class. We started using computers in 4th grade through the end of high school. Each class had a set of computers that were available for the students to use but not take home. When the pandemic hit, our school really just cut everything off. We did not do school from home. When we started school back the following year, the kids that would be required to quarantine if sitting next to someone with covid or having it themselves, would have the opportunity to take a computer home to do their work. When their quarantine was over, they had to return them back to the school. Wifi was provided for us to use during the school but after school hours you had to have your own wifi at home or find somewhere that did to get school work done. Towards the end of high school, most of my classmates had their own personal computers because we started to take online classes for dual enrollment. Being surrounded by tons of private schools there was a huge difference in the resources they had versus us at public schools. I do believe using technology in schools is important because it gets those who decide to go to college more comfortable using it.

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Hello, my name is Abigail Hickey, and I am from Cookeville Tennessee. I have not personally experienced or seen the effects of digital equality in school due to the fact that my teachers were all very accommodating by making take home assignments on paper and in class assignments online. I did have some online homework throughout the years, but my teachers were always very accommodating to students who couldn't complete those assignments at home. However, my freshman year of college during my in class placement for my ED100S course, I was placed in an elementary school in a lower income area where it was difficult for many of the students to have at home access to the technology required to complete online assignments, or limited to no internet connection at their homes to do so. So, I am definitely aware of some of the effects of digital inequality, and think that the problem could be combatted by making any take home work on paper and completing all online assignments within the classroom, as well as providing students who don't have the proper technology available at home with the option to complete a paper version of the online homework and turn it in at school.

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Hi everyone, my name is Clare Halliday, I am a child and family studies major here with a concentration in early childhood education prek-3. Today I want to talk about digital equity and the challenges many people face when it comes to accessing technology and the internet. In my experience working with children and families, I’ve seen firsthand how digital inequity can impact students learning. Some students have access to high-speed internet, personal devices, and tech-savvy support at home, while others struggle with slow connections, shared devices between family members or peers, or even a lack of access altogether. This gap became especially clear during the COVID-19 pandemic when remote learning made digital access more crucial than ever. Even now, digital inequity remains a major issue, particularly in rural and low-income communities. Without reliable internet and devices, students fall behind, and families miss out on essential resources for work, education, and healthcare. To address these challenges, we need more investment in affordable broadband, school, and community programs that provide technology access, and digital literacy education for both students and parents. Schools can also help by offering device lending programs and partnering with organizations to provide internet access to families in need. Digital access is no longer a privilege—it’s a necessity. By working together as educators, policymakers, and community members, we can create a more equitable digital future for all. Thanks for listening!

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Hello, my name is sarah fowler, and I am from Nashville, TN. I personally started off in a public school then transferred to private school in the 5th grade. In elementary school, we as students were not provided with individual computers or iPads but there were some in our library that we could use. Some of my teachers would like to incorporate the technology into our lesson that day. All of my teachers had projectors and white boards they would use along with their computer to class. This introduced me to technology young and made me more comfortable with it. Once I made the switch to private school at first they loaned us chrome books to use, then expected us all to get an iPad individually that would be used for school. We always would use the school wifi for those. Then in high school we were expected to upgrade to a computer especially for our English and math classes for most of our work would need a computer. The switch between public and private school  allowed me  to see how much of a difference the schools expectations were and how they used technology.

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Hi, my name is Annie Cunningham and I'm from Long Island, NY. Throughout my education I was enrolled in both private and public schools so I saw digital inequity from two lenses. When I was in private school for middles school, they had started a program where the entire curriculum shifted entirely to iPads. Each student was given an iPad. All work was done on these iPads, but tests and quizzes were on paper. Classwork, homework, and note taking was all done on these iPads. There were some students who were able to have and access the iPads/the internet at school, but went they went home they didn't always have working wifi or things like that where they could complete assignments. In order to combat this, the school allowed teachers to offer students printable homework, which student would complete on paper and then scan their work into the iPad at school and submit it when able to access the internet. I though that was a really great solution to this inequity because different students have different learning and living situations at home. Then, in my public high school, during the pandemic every kid was given a school-covered chromebook. However, there were struggles with wifi problems for certain kids. And my district didn't do much to combat this. I think that something we can do to combat this digital inequity is providing student something like hotspots to bring home or, in a time like the pandemic, homeworks could be done on paper or maybe class zoom aren't required. They could be recorded so that they can be watched when students have access to the internet and are not penalized for attendance. Just because even though these devices are accessible at school they are not always so at home. Thank you!

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Hi everyone. My name is Aubrey Truan and I am a sophomore here studying elementary education. and today I am gonna be talking about digital equity and inequity.

So personally, I come from a very small town. Its a poor, rural area. Its called Maynardville, Tn. Its about 30-45 minutes out from Knoxville. So i have witnessed digital inequity for years. In my town a lot of people don't even have internet or even a computer, and sometimes even phones. These things are either too expensive or just not available depending on where they are. So like, for example, if you're really far into the county, you cant even get internet past a certain point. Theres just no service. This makes things really hard for students that need it for school. So thankfully, union county schools provides with their own chrome book. And if you didn't have internet, they would provide you with internet. It was really nice. My school did everything in their power to help students who needed it. Even here at UTK I feel like digital access isn't fair. At UTK some students cant afford wifi or devices they need for school. Which puts them at a big disadvantage. So without these, students will struggle with homework and even miss out on good job opportunities. Or maybe even fail or not get their degree.

To fix this, or combat this I feel like we need more affordable internet options and provide better service in the more rural areas. I think the State and counties should work with students families to make prices lower for all families who may need it. Everyone should have access to internet no matter where they are or how much money they make. I feel like if everyone did what my county did for students, this would combat this issue. Or even other people just helping another person can go a long way. It makes a big difference.

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Hey everyone, my name is Cara Helm and I was born in Naples, Florida. I went to a K-12 Christian school, and I was really fortunate when they provided us with the technology we needed to learn. Each student received a Chromebook, which meant that no one was left without a device for schoolwork and it helped make learning more accessible and made sure that all students had the same opportunities in the classroom. I don’t think digital equity is just about having a device, but it also means having reliable internet and knowing how to use technology we are given or have. Some students in other schools definitely had struggles because they didn’t have Wi-Fi at home or didn’t fully understand how to use their devices for learning. Without internet access or tech support, a device alone isn’t always enough. I experienced this when I was in my placement classroom fro my ED100 class, there were students who couldn’t do some of the work at home because they didn’t have wifi, so everything was done on paper and not technology. In my opinion, to really address digital inequity,

schools and communities could provide more free Wi-Fi hotspots,

offer tech support, and teach digital literacy skills. I think these small steps could make a big difference in making sure everyone has the same opportunities to succeed. Digital equity is about making sure no one is excluded from their learning experience and just making sure everyone has the same access.Thank you!

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Hi, I'm Lily Anderson. Digging deeper is super important when it comes to inequity because what one student needs may be completely different from another student to accomplish the same goal. Identifying what kinds of criteria there is and how to address the issues while all the students are giving an opportunity to have access to technology is super important. I think it's great that the UT library has computers to rent and spaces with free wifi all over campus because some students may not be able to have that at home or wherever they do their work.

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Hi, my name is Brenden Gates, I am from Cleveland Tennessee, near Chattanooga. I have seen the effects of digital inequity, especially during high school. While I was in high school my entire school switched to an online curriculum and students were expected to be able to do homework outside of class. To help with this my school gave out free laptops to every student. However, some students didn't have internet access at their houses, outside of school, so they were not able to complete any of the assignments. Digital equity remains a challenge, with many students lacking access to technology and internet resources. One way to combat this, like my school did, is to expand device access, as well as improve broadband affordability and by promoting digital literacy. These things can help to close the gap of digital inequity and allow students to learn more freely.

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Hello, my name is Destiny Daniels. I was born and raised in Claiborne County, Tennessee. When the pandemic hit in high school, the school board provided each student with a chromebook to take home and do assignments on. However, one issue with this is that homework and everything was assigned online and some children did not have wi-fi at home due to their family not being able to afford it or that they live in such a country part of the county that wi-fi was not ran out there. A problem I see with this is that some students may be penalized for not completing homework even though they did not have the proper resources to do so. Some ideas that I have to combat this issue is students being gave time in class to complete any homework or assignments they may have while they have access to the school wi-fi or the school board school provide a personal hotspot to take home to use so that they can complete their assignments. Thank you.

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My name is Ashley Robinson and I am from Charlotte North Carolina. I have experienced digital inequity, and seen it more since being in high school/college. Not everyone has the ability to pay for a computer, ipad, or phone. All of these are items that nowadays are critical to the school system. If one is unable to pay for a digital device, then they are at a disadvantage with their education compared to everyone else. For example, one might not be able to go to college as it requires you to have some sort of digital device. This is where the digital inequity comes into play. In middle school, we were all given Macbooks that were funded by the school. This helped give everyone equal opportunities. However, when it comes to a higher education, not everyone can afford the materials (mainly being technology). I feel if we used funding like my middle school did, we could combat some of the digital inequities, by ensuring everyone has something they can use.

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Hi, my name is Cassidy Slater and I am from Pikeville, Kentucky where I attended an independent school from elementary school all throughout high school. Our school provided access to chrome books in every classroom, but there was not enough for each individual student to have their own device. If a student needed access they were allowed to check a chrome book out and return it. I fell like now of society fully relies on online learning because of how we had to adapt with the pandemic. I never was on a laptop every day in the classroom until the pandemic. Now technology has advanced and plans an even larger role in education which is why it is so important it is equally accessible to all students. At a University standpoint going into college you know you need a laptop or ipad in order to complete work and submit assignments. If you do not have these resources it hinders ones ability to succeed. At UT I know there is ways you can rent technology, but I fell like there should be more accessible options for students. I know of other universities where every student is given an ipad regardless of there major, income, background, etc. Having a opportunity like this gives equal access to all students to set them up for success. Opportunities like this take the pressure off students who are struggling to find the right technology or work to buy their own.

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Hi everyone, my name is Sloan Phillips. I was born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, about 20 minutes from Knoxville. I went to school in Maryville City, where my mom was also an RTI teacher. I have heard many stories from her about her teaching experience. She deals with a lot of lower-income families that do not have WIFI access. For this reason, many of her students struggle to complete homework and other assignments or projects at home. Luckily the school system provides students with an iPad or laptop. However, they are still lacking the WIFI access.

One way to combat this issue would be to provide hotspots that the students can check out to complete their assignments. These hotspots can be school-funded so these families do not have to worry about their financial situation and how it will factor into the student's education. The school could also have a fundraiser to collect money to add to a technology fund. This could provide students with a hotspot for their whole education career, where they don't have to check them out. The school could also offer “homework hours” for students to do their homework with WIFI access. This could be the 2 hours following school dismissal with teacher volunteers facilitating the homework time. Thank you.

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Hi, my name is Reagan Honeycutt. I was born and raised in Knoxville, TN and went to local public schools. In elementary school, students weren’t provided with individual devices, but we had some computers in the library for occasional use.  Most teachers had projectors or active boards in their rooms too. In middle school and high school, the school was able to provide us with chrome books. At home growing up, we didn’t always have TV or a computer, but we had wifi for using our school laptops. Now personally, I have been fortunate to afford a personal laptop and iPhone for college.

From a community level, I know not all students or families can afford laptops, tablets, or even smartphones, leaving them at a disadvantage in such a technology-reliant society. Schools and libraries play a big role in bridging the gap, but it's not always enough. And even if there is a library or hotspot nearby, people don’t always have access to transportation.

Another issue is when technology is available, but some people—especially older generations or students in underfunded schools—lack the skills to navigate digital platforms effectively.

Urban areas may have more resources, but rural communities still struggle with connectivity. To combat these issues, we can expand public wifi access in community centers, libraries, and even school parking lots. Internet providers could also offer more affordable plans for low-income families. I know most colleges, like UTK, have renting options, but it could be even more beneficial to have device loan programs for those that are struggling to afford renting.

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Hi, my name is Hannah Dettmann and I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and all throughout growing up in elementary school. We were provided computers like in the library if we needed to use them or in middle school we were given to use for all our assignments in high school we were given laptops to use all our assignments so I thought that was really beneficial because if the schools are expecting their students to do all their work online with these applications and I think it only makes sense for the students provided those devices to use them so when I went to University of Tennessee, I thought it was a really good idea that the library has a way to rent chrome books to allow the students to use those if they can’t afford one or there’s brakes and then I think that a huge issue that can come with educational technology is Wi-Fi issues because a lot of people it depends on their housing. A lot of people do their homework at home, especially when they’re in elementary school middle school and high school and not every location or every house has the best Wi-Fi and sometimes like if a student can’t drive it it would be really hard for them to have to go to somewhere like a library. Coffee shop do their homework so I for that issue I would suggest like always giving students copies with any homework assignment, just in case something happens with their Wi-Fi or their unable to have Wi-Fi at home. They wouldn’t get penalized for having late assignments, not being able to do their assignments in a timely manner and that I would recommend teachers reaching out to students to, talk about it before hand if they are unable to do their assignments at home that they can be sued for paper or get extensions.

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Hey everyone, my name's Lauren. I was actually born and raised here in Knoxville. I went to Webb, which is a small private school here. And we all had access to iPads in middle school. We were all given an iPad in middle school for our schoolwork and like for homework and things like that. And we were all in the same curriculum online and had the same setup for iPads. And then in high school, we all got laptops and it was just really great because we were all on the same system for iPads and laptops. And it made our assignments super easy to navigate and helped us stay organized. And I think it's really awesome that we had access to those just since it's a small private school. It was given to us through the school.

And then when I came to UT and it was my first time not in that private school setting, it was definitely a bit of a culture shock just seeing some students renting their laptops through the library because they weren't able to afford a laptop. I really think it's great that UT has that option for people. So I do think that UT does a great job with that. I worked in a public school and they were all given Chromebooks, which is awesome. But I definitely think that like homework and stuff with Wi- Fi can be hard because not everyone has Wi- Fi or can afford Wi-Fi So I really think like if there was a way to get a hotspot up or if homework assignments just weren't given online and they were only on paper, just that way everyone had access to what they need to get done. They were able to get it done the same way. But yeah, thank you.

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Hi, My Name is Laney Newman, and I am from a pretty remote area in Tennessee. It's very mountainous, and many roads aren't paved, or houses are hard to get to. It's very rural, and in my case, in my county definitely kids struggle with getting Wi-Fi access because either their parents can't afford it, or they live in such a rural place that they can't get it installed. So, in this case the only option that I can see would be for the school district to provide hot spots for the students to take home, and use to turn in their homework, and to complete their assignments on time. In my case, it's such a rural, spaced out place that it really isn't feasible for students to walk to, say, like a library, or a communal place that has good internet access, and do their work. I really think the hot spot idea is the only one that would work for my situation. Thank you.