CREATING A MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS: EQUITY IN EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY DURING COVID-19

This research study explored the issue of equity in education and technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual forum was created that included a panel of educators from across the United States to discuss educational challenges related to equity and the use of technology during their transition from physical classrooms to the virtual classroom setting. This research was intended to provide insight into the perceptions of some educators regarding equity in education and technology as students received instruction from home and teachers engaged a variety of online platforms to deliver instruction. In this study an interview protocol was used to facilitate action research with a focus group of educators in the context of a two hour and twenty minute Zoom session that generated relevant responses from participants. Effective communication from school leaders with educational stakeholder groups emerged as a major theme among study participants. © 2021 Virtual Simulation Innovation Workshop, SIW 2021. All rights reserved.