2024 Volume 18 Pages 105-117
This study aims to examine the impact of technology on education and the associated challenges, particularly in the context of the Global and Innovation Gateway for All (GIGA) school concept and the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on social equity. It amplifies the perspectives of educators, parents, children, local school boards, schools, and initiatives aimed at educating teachers and identifies the following four points. 1) The initial implementation of the GIGA school concept contributed in identifying tangible strategies to advance social equity, with the development of a foundational environment as the starting point. 2) An essential aspect is the consensus-building procedure to determine priorities for implementation toward the elimination of social inequities, ensuring a delicate balance between educational and economic considerations to address the concerns of those perceiving this inequity. 3) The GIGA school concept, through the proactive efforts of schools, has facilitated equal participation in learning for students considered socially disadvantaged. However, the concept is at risk of losing recognition for its support of the socially disadvantaged and consequently neglecting more crucial issues. The importance of evolving perspectives and raising questions regarding social equity has become increasingly apparent. 4) For the GIGA school concept to contribute to the actualization of social equity in the movement to revise the teacher preparation curriculum related to information and communication technology, it is important for teacher educators to understand the contextual knowledge of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and guide their students accordingly.
