Even though the event took place online, satellite sites had been set up to allow people to gather in person to attend the day, from Alma to Gaspé, via Magog and Baie-James . Thus, they could attend virtual conferences, while having the opportunity to discuss them among themselves.
What is the program for this 22nd conference?
From 8 a.m., participants were welcomed by the ÉER team and invited to use the QR code presented on the screen to join a Padlet in the form of a map, thus grouping together the location of each participant being connected from home, school or a satellite site.
Marie-Claude Nicole, director and collaborator of the organization, introduced the conference by recalling that the event is an “open window on the classes and all the actors who revolve around them” and presented this year’s theme: Collaborate to learn mentioning that since the pandemic, “we can take a reflective look at all the learning that has been done and that a lot of ground has been covered in relation to the digital transformation that has been experienced”.
Nancy Couture, general director of the Fleuve-et-des-Lacs School Service Center, also mentioned the importance of “collaboration and networking.” How is networking done in an interclass and continuing education activity? Which networking infrastructures offer network collaborations? How can networking be done according to the age of the students using different digital tools and according to the areas and disciplines of the Quebec school training program? The activities proposed in this conference attempted to provide answers and avenues for reflection around these major questions. In addition, each of the activities offered during the day was offered by teachers who “put collaboration into practice to learn”. Madame Couture took the opportunity to thank them for their involvement and motivation: “They are models, inspiring leaders.”
Finally, Yvan Fortier, from the Directorate for the Development of Digital Culture (DDCN) at the Quebec Ministry of Education, recalled the mandates of the ÉER, such as “proposing activities that promote the development of disciplinary skills and digital competence”. Mr. Fortier also added that the ÉER allows “to support teachers by offering continuing training allowing them to have a varied and innovative approach for students. “.
Finally, Sophie Nadeau-Tremblay, resource teacher and educational coordinator at the De La Jonquière School Service Center, finished by talking about the relevance of networking to combat digital dropout.
Reduce digital inequalities
In this perspective, the opening conference entitled The networking to reduce digital inequalities was presented by Michelle Deschênes, professor in educational psychology of vocational education, and Séverine Parent, professor in educational technology and digital literacy, both at the University of Quebec at Rimouski and researchers for the La VIE project (Laboratoire Vivant d ‘Innovation in Education). They addressed three levels of inequalities and three factors contributing to reducing these inequalities.
Indeed, the conference wanted to highlight different blind spots, including three levels of inequalities in digital technology: access, skills and uses. All three affect students and their parents as much as the school and teaching staff.
Access
“These are the differences between people and/or groups in terms of the resources made available,” such as materials and resources. Ex. having a shared computer at home or not knowing how this device works, or not having access to the Internet or high bandwidth. This is not a reality that only affects remote areas, some “students go to their school on the weekend to have access to Wi-Fi because they don’t have it at home,” mentioned Ms. Deschênes.
The skills
“It’s computer literacy, knowing how the device works, how to use an application, software.” For example, some parents simply cannot help their children at home due to lack of knowledge about it. Finally, it comes down to “the inequality of skills in ease of use. »
Uses
Here, we are talking about skills, mastery of uses. Mastery of digital uses among students can refer to “the ease in consulting, creating, communicating and sharing content”, while the use of tools by teachers can perpetuate inequalities. In particular, knowing how to differentiate the use of digital tools: is it a creative use? Is this a practical use of the tools?
These different levels of inequalities are consensus in the scientific literature. They make it possible to better identify the inequalities experienced by people and, thus, it is possible to act more directly to reduce them. The speakers and professors emphasize that their research work in the La VIE laboratory focuses on these complex issues in education.
Factors to consider
In addition to the three levels of inequality, five factors can influence these inequalities. The researchers chose to present three related to the class: the school and the management, the students and the teaching staff. Indeed, certain shortcomings can create a situation of inequality between the different actors.
The school and management could, for example, create “a digital committee offering resources of interest to teachers, training, updating the lists of tools approved by the CSS, ensuring that it is always up to date and that access is given quickly”, which will encourage anticipation of problems, become systematic when a new teacher arrives and allow them to be up to date with their colleagues.
Students should develop greater autonomy, master digital skills and benefit from the support of teachers in this process.
For teaching staff, gaps may be linked to lack of support from colleagues, limited availability, mastery of digital skills and attitude towards digital technology. Thus, by collaborating and exchanging with colleagues, it can be easier to support and help each other so that everyone can benefit.
Finally, beyond these three levels of inequalities and these three factors, the two researchers recalled that “digital inequalities are directly linked to social inequalities” and networking could be a good way to help reduce these inequalities.
View the Conference Resource Padlet wall.
To see or rewatch the workshops presented during this day and consult the presentation documents, click here.
Event badge
Participants can collect an event badge to attest to their participation in this 22nd Network School conference on the CADRE21 website.
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