EDUCATION TRENDS

The Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap in the Information Age

29 May 2024/ By Zineb DJOUB

Introducing educational technologies provides valuable resources for students’ academic and social development as they present new engaging learning experiences that enhance deeper learning. However, many researchers show that equitable material access to those technologies, both at home and school, remains a significant issue. Additionally, teachers’ lack of digital literacy further exacerbates the problem. Therefore, understanding the digital divide is essential to help teachers develop digital literacy and ensure all students have equal learning opportunities regardless of their socio-economic background.

What is the digital divide?

The term ‘digital divide’ was first used in 1995 in a number of newspapers in the United States such as the report “Falling through the Net”, published by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which talked about ‘haves and have nots’.

Soon, the concept spread to Europe and the rest of the world. During the pandemic, this topic gained special attention with schools shifting to online learning and since then it’s receiving increased attention from researchers and policymakers all over the world.

Research suggests that the digital divide manifests in three key areas: physical access, skills or digital literacy, and effective usage.

# The digital access divide

For many years, during the initial study on the digital divide, the meaning of the digital divide has been interpreted mainly in access to digital technologies.

It has been defined as the gap between individuals, households, businesses, and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard to their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and various forms of digital technologies.

These technologies include:

Devices: A stand-alone computer or a PC digital media, both mobile (mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and smartphones) and digitized analogue media (television, radio, cameras, and game devices).

Connections: The Internet, mobile telephony, and digital broadcasting, with either narrow- or broadcasting capacities.

Applications: e-mail, search engines, e-commerce, e-banking, and social networking sites.

# Digital capability divide

Studies have found that merely offering access to ICT to individuals may not be sufficient to ensure that they will use the medium appropriately to meet their needs and expectations (Hargittai, 2002). They should also have the digital skills to make meaningful use of the available technologies.

In the absence of even basic digital skills, the digital divide will still be there in the form of the digital skills divide (Ghobadi & Ghobadi, 2015).

Therefore, to make effective use of technology, possessing the technical abilities required to use digital devices, applications, and networks is more than necessary.

#Digital outcome divide

Also referred to as the third-level digital divide, the digital outcome divide is defined as the inequality of outcomes achieved by users of ICTs and digital media based on factors like an individual’s attitude and motivation towards technology, nature of technology usage, and ability of meaning-making (Partridge, 2003; Wei et al., 2011; Zhong, 2011).

This means that having access to technologies and possessing digital skills is not enough. We may not get benefits from those technologies because of our attitudes, lack of interest in and inability to make effective use of them. This is the digital outcome divide.

With the increased ubiquity of digital technologies in almost every aspect of our lives, every individual needs to develop the capacity to leverage digital tools and the internet to enhance their lives.

Making the most of the digital world opportunities requires developing digital literacy. This goes beyond access and just knowing how to use a computer or smartphone.

Digital literacy includes a wide range of competencies, including critical thinking, ethical understanding, and effective communication in digital environments.

In addition, being digitally literate is not only a matter of possessing the necessary skills and knowledge to use digital tools effectively but also having the right mindset and attitudes for more productive, ethical, and responsible use of technology such as:

• respecting privacy and intellectual property rights,
• recognizing ethical implications of online behaviours,
• understanding digital etiquette,
• managing online interactions,
• being confident in using digital tools,
• willing to learn and adapt to new tools,
• being resilient to overcome digital challenges (technical difficulties, cyberbullying or threats, learning challenges, etc.)

Education and the Digital Divide

The digital divide in education has always existed, but its impact was clearly demonstrated with the COVID-19 outbreak. Both teachers and students were falling behind due to a lack of technology and digital literacy.

According to a 2020 Pew Research Survey, 59% of parents with lower incomes who had children participating in online learning due to the pandemic said their children would likely face at least one of three digital obstacles to their schooling, such as an unreliable internet at home, no computer at home, or needing to use a smartphone to complete schoolwork.

Income, geographic, and racial group disparities were found to be the causes of the divide, besides motivation and interest.

The digital divide is the barrier to education inequality. Its impact on education has been significant. If a student doesn’t have access to a device or high-speed internet at home, they won’t show the same academic results.

Similarly, learning experiences would be different for classes where teachers know how to integrate educational technologies effectively into their instruction than those whose teachers are still resistant to such implications due to their lack of digital literacy.

The digital divide continues to widen as teachers incorporate technology-based learning into their daily curricula.

How to bridge the digital divide

The digital divide is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires concerted efforts from various sectors of society to address.

Equal digital access is necessary to bridge the digital divide. Therefore, governments need to improve Internet Infrastructure.

Besides, governments, non-profit organizations, and technology companies should collaborate to provide affordable devices to students, particularly those from low-income households to help them engage in online learning.

Education policies should also prioritize equity, ensuring that every student at school has access to quality technology resources and the necessary support to utilize them effectively.

This is by allocating adequate funding, designing inclusive curriculum frameworks, and providing professional development opportunities for educators to enhance their digital pedagogy skills.

Further, there is a need for ongoing research and innovation in the field of education to understand how technology is being used at schools and identify the strategies and practices that are most effective in improving educational outcomes and bridging the digital divide.

To conclude, the digital divide is a complex social issue. We need to understand its meaning, causes, and impacts so that we can implement strategic initiatives and work towards a more inclusive and connected world where everyone has the opportunity to participate in the digital age.

References

Ghobadi, S., & Ghobadi, Z. (2015). How access gaps interact and shape digital divide: a cognitive investigation.  Behaviour  & Information Technology, 34.4, 330‐340. doi:  10.1080/0144929X.2013.833650

Hargittai, E. (2002). Second-level digital divide: Differences in people’s online skills. First Monday, 7(4).

Partridge, H. (2003). Moving beyond the digital divide: Developing a psychological perspective of digital inequality. Information Technology and Organizations: Trends, Issues, Challenges and Solutions, Vols 1 and 2, 508‐511.

Wei, K. K., Teo, H. H., Chan, H. C., & Tan, B. C. Y. (2011). Conceptualizing and testing a social cognitive model of the digital divide. Information Systems Research, 22(1), 170‐187.

Zhong, Z. J. (2011). From access to usage: The divide of self-reported digital skills among adolescents.  Computers and Education, 56(3), 736‐746.