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Digital divide and education
Defining the digital divide
Defining the digital divide
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The Digital Divide
Abstract:
Around the world 429 million people are connected to the Internet. Forty-one percent of those people can be found in North America. Although 429 million seems like a large number it is only 6 percent of the global population (Fact Sheet, 2004). Numbers like this reflect the digital divide that has grown since the creation of the computer and more recently, the ‘Information Super Highway’ called, the Internet. The digital divide describes the issue that some people have access to and use computers and the Internet while others do not. There are several factors that play into those that do not have access and there are programs that have been created to close the gap between these people and those that have access.
Full Text:
Bridges.org (2003) describes the digital divide as “the wide division between those who have access to ICT [information and communications technologies] and are using it effectively and those who do not.” These groups are labeled the “have” and the “have-nots.” As technology increases the importance of having access to it grows also. Those who do not have access to technology lag behind and end up in the ‘gap’ of the digital divide. Usually the majority of people that fall in the ‘have-nots” category are in developing countries around the world, but a large number can be found right in the United States. Several factors seem to play a part in who becomes a victim of the digital divide. These include race, socioeconomic status, education, location, age and gender.
The statistics for race and access to Internet access in the home show that 46.1% of white households are online and 56.8% of Asian American and Pacific Islanders have access to the Internet in th...
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In his essay Mobile Phones, Digital Media and America’s Learning Divide, Professor S. Craig Watkins discusses the different ways that digital media affects the learning divide between middle and low-class students and also students of different races, ethnicities and cultures. Watkins’ purpose in writing this essay is to show how mobile phones are closing the learning divide as well as the digital divide. He uses facts and research that he has gathered as a member of the MacArthur Foundation’s research network on Connected Learning to back up his statements and improve his credibility as an author.
"In the modern and technologically advanced times that we live in, access to the internet is a human right and necessity to the developed world. It often helps to promote sociopolitical awareness and understand the rights that we deserve as human beings.
After reading the “Mobile Communications” section of the Internet chapter, discuss whether or not you think the Digital Divide could be closed somewhat by cell phones and other mobile devices. The phrase “digital divide” illustrates the fact that the world can be divided into people who do and people who do not have access to and/or the capability to use modern-day information technology, such as the telephone and the Internet. For instance, “78.6 percent of North America’s residents were Internet users, but only 13.5 percent of Africa’s population had this capability.” (Volti 2014). There have been attempts to close this opening of the digital divide by bringing reasonably priced mobile phones to these people and countries with limited access.
As this critical juncture begins to take place, there has been much debate between scholars as to whether we should be enthusiastic or wary of these new changes. In Digital Disconnect and in his lectures, McChesney observes both views in an attempt to advance the discussion. On one side, the celebrants are embracing the Internet as a medium that will change society for the better. In Digital Disconnect, McChesney says, “In sum, the celebrants reaffirm one of the most important original arguments from the 1990s, that the Internet will be a force for democracy and good worldwide, ending monopolies of information and centralized control over communication” (McChesney 8). In my opinion, this celebrant view should only be regarded as a best-case scenario because of the unexpected obstacles for society that can...
The Digital divide is a term for explaining the gap between demographics and regions that have access to the modern technology that give necessary and important information as well as communications technology, and those that don’t have access. Many people around the world do not have access to the internet neither global communication. North America is a huge continent made up of countries like the USA, Canada, Mexico and more. Approximately 579 million people live in north america, and the state california is located in the west coast of the USA. Since the USA is a rather developed country, a very high rate of the population has access to internet, specifically 98% of the entire country have access to internet but one in four does not
Turkle, Sherry. "Digital Nation." Interview. PBS. PBS, 22 Sept. 2009. Web. 20 May 2014. .
The Internet has become a major tool for communication and access to information for over two and half billion people (Wright 121). Although Internet has become an unavoidable reality that is consuming our planet in a web of information. This process is being shaped by our actions and choices which ultimately drives us together (Deibert 11). Nowadays China has over 538 million netizens, the world’s largest online community (Feng & Guo 335).
Children today are not born with an umbilical cord, but a computer cord. Kids aren’t the way they use to be. How many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying this? Theories today believe that children form these generations are actually different, meaning their brains are different from when we were children. What can we do about it, or should we do anything at all? This paper will examine children today and the difference between the generations. Secondly, due to the difference in generations, the importance of maintaining social interaction, critical thinking and problem solving skills, which, are just as important as technical fluencies for the 21st century. In order to maintain the “humanity” skills, I will discuss the importance of Daily Physical Activity (DPA). Furthermore, the paper will also examine the importance of building a bridge between the digital divide. It is necessary to examine the educational system and the digital divide. Children are engulfed in a digital world and have different experiences and environment. How do we build a bridge between the technical fluencies and the humanity skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century?
The use of the Internet has exploded in the past few decades, and the age of the user is swiftly declining as well (Greenfield, Patricia, and Zheng Yan). “The spread of Internet access has been described as nine times faster than that of radio, four times faster than the personal computer, and three times faster than television” (Shields, Margie, and Behrman 5). The Internet has woven itself into people’s daily lives and has really changed culture in numerous ways. It has helped make education more accessible, especially to those in developing countries. Specifically, it has brought life-saving health practices and information to those who otherwise would have gone without it.
Even in countries like Europe or the US, there is still uneducated people, including the lack of digital and language literacy. According to McKinsey & Company (2014), approximately 900 million of people who are not accessing or connected to the internet are uneducated. Incentives can also become a barrier, even though the internet utility is developing increasingly to providing access to information and resources in order to improve quality of life. However, there are still many people who still does not have a compelling reason to go online. Incentives, low incomes and affordability, user capability, and infrastructure are all a great barriers that stand between millions and accessing the
Since the development of the Internet in late 1980s, communication has changed enormously. The Internet has altered the lives of people in the world in a way that was never imagined before. As little as a decade ago, if someone tried to explain the Internet and World Wide Web, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to understand. Computers were just beginning to become popular and few individuals realized the capacity of one PC, let alone the power of a network of electronic technology. By linking together computers, users could remotely access others on the network, share information, and send electronic mail as easily as pushing a button. Millions of people with shared interests, exchange information and build communities through Web sites, email and instant-messaging software.
Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Will Smart Phones Eliminate the Digital Divide?" The Journal (1 Feb. 2011).
Throughout history technology has been the driving force of change. From movable type, to television, to the Internet, technology has been embraced and incorporated into our daily lives. Within the constructs of civilized society, the vast rewards of technological innovations have far outweighed the negatives. The digital revolution has altered conceptions of time and distance. It has created a wealth of information that is available at the stroke of a key. Not since the invention of the printing press has the distribution and consumption of information been so democratized. The rapidly changing technological landscape has put students and teachers in the cross-hairs. Can students be positively impacted by this digital revolution? Has the wave of technology that has swept through in recent years improved teaching and learning in the classroom? Utilizing various research tools such as Boise State University's Albertsons Library database, Google Scholar, and other online tools to access peer-reviewed journals, this paper will demonstrate that technology in the classroom results in increased student performance. great intro, Evan. -Barbara Schroeder 5/6/10 7:51 AM
Imagine someone born in the early 1900’s entering a modern-day classroom. They would likely be confused as to what televisions, computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices are. It is also likely that they would be overwhelmed by the instant access to information that the internet provides. Digital media has become a large part of people’s everyday lives especially with the rise of digital media in classrooms. Digital media is growing so rapidly that people who are not adapting to this shift in culture are falling behind and becoming victims of the “digital divide”, this is leaving people misinformed. Digital media has a large effect on the way that people communicate, this is especially evident in the way that students interact with
Surveying the Digital Future: How the PC and Internet are changing the world. (1999, June). Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Communication Policy.