Consequences of the Digital Divide in Education
The digital divide is the socioeconomic gap created between communities, cultures, or individuals with different levels of access to digital tools. Those with unfettered access to broadband internet and computers have advantages over those who lack adequate internet connectivity, which can lead to far-reaching negative consequences for the latter.
The digital divide between countries can be even greater. In the US many regions takeaccess to the internet, computers, and smartphones for granted. In countries with underdeveloped supporting infrastructure, communities lack access to these tools.
Closing the gap of the digital divide is a daunting mission on a global scale. It requires advancements in digital infrastructure like internet backbone and globally available wireless access, as well as equitable digital access for students across communities worldwide. The digital divide in education is growing as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the subsequent restrictions have significant effects.
What Is the Digital Divide in Education?
The digital divide in education often comes down to available resources for students and teachers. This is usually directly related to what a family or school district can afford. The first hurdle for students and teachers to cross in the digital divide is internet access.
In most urban areas of the US, internet access is the simple part. Broadband internet became widely available in the early 2000s, and most regions have several internet providers. Services are not free, however, and access is limited by availability in rural areas.
What Does the Digital Divide Look Like in Education?
The digital divide is a growing concern in education. Broadband internet access is at the heart of the problem, and the reliance on distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated the issue.
Many schools turned to distance learning without adequate technological support. Students without internet access at home lost most, if not all, of their educational resources. Those who had previously relied on internet access at school, libraries, or neighbor’s houses lost that option under social distancing guidelines.
Students whose families can afford internet access and home computers are well equipped to deal with today’s challenges. Those without such necessities are on the other side of the gap. Providing resources to students in need is vital in shrinking the digital divide.
What Problems Does the Digital Divide Cause in Education?
The digital divide creates significant challenges for students. The problems caused by the digital divide in education includes both short-term and long-term challenges.
In the short term, students without broadband access may face learning challenges and limited access to relevant materials. This means they often struggle to complete homework, fall behind, receive lower grades, and sometimes even fail to graduate. Using smartphones to complete assignments causes additional problems since outdated learning software often functions poorly on smaller screens.
The long-term consequences of letting the divide grow affects students for years. Many middle skill jobs require digital skills that students on the wrong side of the digital divide never learn. This limits their career opportunities throughout their life. Additionally, less education generally leads to fewer job opportunities and less financial stability.
Where Is the Digital Divide Most Prevalent in Education?
The digital divide in education mirrors the socioeconomic gap, affecting rural communities, low-income families and other marginalized communities the most. The digital divide also disproportionately affects Native American, Black, and Latinx students.
Rural communities face educational disadvantages due to the limited availability of broadband internet access. Schools in small and rural communities often lack funding to provide technology to students for use in distance learning.
The gap widens for families with multiple school age children. These families face the added challenge of supplying multiple devices for multiple children to use simultaneously.
How Does the Digital Divide Affect Education in the US?
From how teachers form lesson plans to how students learn and turn in homework, technology plays a significant role in education in the US. The COVID-19 pandemic has only expanded its use. During the pandemic, nearly all learning shifted to the digital space, effectively halting education for those students disadvantaged by the digital divide.
Where Is the Digital Divide Visible in Education in the US?
Both sides of the digital divide are evident in education. Lacking technological resources results in lower academic performances while being on the other side of the digital divide produces a competitive advantage.
Low-income families are being left behind by the digital divide in education. Students have less access to the information they need to further their studies. Time wasted by inefficient technology also results in less time to learn.
Students with ample access to necessary digital technology have an academic advantage. From receiving high marks, to graduating and gaining entrance into a university, these students face fewer hurdles at every step of their education in the digital age.
What Socioeconomic Issues Relate to the Educational Digital Divide in the US?
With the world in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening quickly. Internet access at home has gone from a luxury to a necessity. Consequently, the digital divide is also growing at an alarming rate.
The digital divide often correlates with lack of wealth. Low-income households might have to choose between buying food or paying for internet access to support their children’s education. Families that can afford reliable internet access and computers for their children are the least affected by the emergence of distance learning.
Another socioeconomic issue tied to the digital divide in education is funding. While schools may receive technology to combat the digital divide, they also require funding to implement the new technologies into curriculum and need to hire new staff to do so properly. Without financial support, educational technology may not be deployed or used effectively.
How Does the Digital Divide Impact Students in the US?
There are concrete differences between students with reliable internet access versus those who do not. These differences range from graduation rates to lifetime financial earnings.
Students without reliable internet access are significantly less likely to graduate. A 2010 study published by Economic Inquiry concluded that teenagers with access to home computers were 6–8 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school than teenagers who did not. These statistics predate the COVID-19 pandemic. Students who are distance learning and have no access to a computer at home may now have no education at all.
The Federal Reserve shared that students with internet access at home out-earn those without at-home internet access by $2 million over their lifetimes. The digital divide in education has a lasting impact on students’ lives.
The Digital Divide and the Adult Learner
K–12 students are not the only educational demographic affected by the digital divide. Colleges faced similar restrictions during to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many adult learners have limited access to necessary technology and less time to devote to their education.
The Digital Divide in Higher Education
The digital divide affected higher education before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the rapid rise of remote learning is causing the gap to widen. Before the pandemic, many students lived on campus where they had access to reliable internet and computers. Commuter students also benefited from technology available on campus.
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many colleges to institute distance learning, students lost access to the vital resources they previously enjoyed on campus. Those without computers and internet at home may be left behind or forced to delay their education until their campus reopens.
Impacts on Adult Learners
Adult learners face different challenges than child students when it comes to the digital divide. Some specific impacts for adult learners include financial stress, a lack of college resources, and a lack of networking opportunities.
Many adult learners are responsible for paying their own tuition, housing, and food. Add to this the expenses for a personal computer and broadband internet, and you have a recipe for significant financial distress. Adult learners often face similar financial challenges as parents of school age children.
The effects of distance learning are even greater for adult learners negatively impacted by the digital divide. They may become isolated as peer activities become more challenging without a communal college campus. Academic advisors, career counselors, and other support services have moved into the digital space, making these services difficult to access for those already struggling to secure broadband internet.
Educational Obstacles for Adult Learners
Adult learners without adequate technology access, including easy broadband internet connection and computers, face significant education obstacles. They risk being left behind because of the digital divide.
Time is a vital resource for an adult learner. They must balance work, school, and daily responsibilities, often with no assistance. They might need to drive to the library for digital access, but in many cases the computers at the local library are slower and more outdated than those on a college campus.
Another major obstacle is digital literacy. Persistent and necessary use of a computer for education is relatively new. Adult learners who did not grow up with computers in school may lack the technology skills needed to use a computer the way higher education requires.
Bridging the Digital Divide in Education
The digital divide is still growing, but targeted steps are already being taken toward solutions. On a global scale and in small communities, individuals are acting to halt the growing digital divide.
Partnerships to Close the Digital Divide
IEEE is uniting partners to address the digital divide. Government organizations, universities, and nonprofit organizations came together when IEEE hosted its Connecting the Unconnected Summit in November 2021. They aimed to discover solutions from the following perspectives:
- Innovative technology applications to increase broadband access
- Innovative business models resulting in increased affordability
- Innovations to increase community enablement, or the likelihood that populations will choose to adopt available broadband access.
IEEE is providing internet access in rural areas worldwide, exploring information and communication technologies (ICT) implementation in rural communities and developing countries. The IEEE Communications Society is also increasing awareness of the digital divide in education and other fields.
Obstacles to Bridging the Digital Divide
To bridge the digital divide in education, all students must have access to the same basic tools, starting with broadband internet. Several obstacles stand in the way of universal access to affordable broadband.
Many remote regions require expanded broadband infrastructure to provide school age children necessary internet access. High costs ultimately leave internet access out of reach for local children.
In many cases, local governments could help close the digital divide among student populations. However, this requires local politicians to be educated on the digital divide, which is an additional hurdle to cross.
School District Efforts to Bridge the Digital Divide
School districts and communities are looking inward for solutions to the digital divide. School districts are providing underserved students access to necessary educational tools. Community-driven support programs include youth internships and mentoring programs.
While each educational community needs a unique approach for tackling the digital divide, solutions from one community can help inform others. School districts can play a pivotal role in providing resources for their students. Open communication between school districts can extend the reach of successful programs.
The Digital Divide in Education: Where We Stand
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid rise in distance education, the digital divide in education is expanding rapidly and becoming increasingly problematic. Resource allocation challenges have made it difficult to achieve equitable education.
While eliminating the digital divide in education is not easy, individuals, communities, and organizations—like IEEE—are taking necessary steps toward closing the gap. Work is being done to provide stable broadband to rural areas and enable the education of poorer communities. Combating the digital divide is a priority to ensure that education continues despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
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