Digital Divide

What is the Digital Divide?The “Digital Divide” is the gap between

those who have proper and appropriate access to and benefit from digital technology and those who do not.

“Technology Rich” vs. “Technology Poor”

Although worldwide, each country has their own Digital Divide as well.

Causes for the Digital Divide

Lack of Infrastructure available Lack of accessibility in developing

worlds Affordability issues

› Lack of proper devices

The U.S. Digital Divide The least “connected”, otherwise known as

the “information underclass” are:› Low income > Single parent households› Minorities > Little education› Disabled > Central Cities, Extreme Rural

Those with access use technology more effectively, benefit from it, and therefore become even more privileged.

Not necessarily caused by choice, but lack of proper infrastructure to provide connections

U.S. Digital Divide in Schools

Began with lack of technology in districts that were rural, had minority students, and were low income› Low Income (1997): 9 students to every 1

computer› High Income (1997): 6 students to every 1

computer Ratio of students to Instructional computers

in 1998 was 12.1. By 2008, the ratio had dropped to 3.1 (NCES)

Digital Divide in Schools Cont. By 2008, schools with 75% or more students

receiving free or reduced-price lunch had a 3.2 student to computer ratio compared to that of 3.1 with schools that had 35% or less students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Usage:› Low Income schools: 83% of teachers say

computes are used for basic skills› High Income schools: 63% reported the same,

however, students were more likely to use computers for research, writing, communication with peers, and presentation preparation.

Worldwide Digital Divide Not necessarily by access to internet, but

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), or infrastructure.

Underdeveloped nations lack appropriate infrastructure for access to internet.› Once Infrastructure is in place, access is relatively

cheap Countries suffering the most from access:

› Sub-saharan countries in Africa, South America, and Asia

Creates the divide between developed and underdeveloped nations even more

Closing the Digital Divide Important because:

› Economic Equality > Democracy› Social Mobility > Economic Growth

Challenging because:› Social & Legal > Literacy & Language

constraints > Computer Resources› Economic Priorities > Personal Choice› Basic Infrastructure

What must we do?› Create the infrastructure to make ICT available Long

Term Investment› Obtaining proper connections and appropriate devices

Media Cartoon:

http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/05/digital-divide-tale-of-two-school.html

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCIB_vXUptY

Work Cited http://www.techknowlogia.org/TKL_Articles/PDF

/410.pdf http://www.internetworldstats.com/links10.htm http://evolutionarymedia.com/papers/digitalDiv

ide.htm http://papyrusnews.com/2010/10/26/new-repor

ts-on-technology-in-us-schools-the-changing-divide/

http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/psa2000dig.pdf

http://www.literacyandtechnology.org/volume2/no1/pirofski.html