A New Understanding of the Digital Divide

I just read and article about the digital divide that was very interesting. It was saying that the digital divide is ever shrinking, but that there are other things to consider. The article says that the digital divide used to just consider the access difference between race and class, but that we should also think about the KINDS of access that different people have.We should also think about people with disabilities. I learned that there are actually groups that are fighting for web sites that are important to improve their sites so that they are more accessible to people with disabilities. 

The idea of web sites not being very easy to navigate for people with disabilities made me think; disabilities can hinder a person's ability to navigate a web site, but so can experience and mental capabilities. I know that I have a very difficult time navigating through some web sites, and I have quite a bit of experience on the internet. What are those web sites like to people with less experience?

The article said that many people now access internet through their phones, and while this has closed the digital divide some, it points out that people cannot easily apply for jobs, look for jobs, or research extensively on their phones. You can't re-register your car, buy tickets to an event, or navigate Amazon easily though your phone. You can't even write on a blog like I am doing now. Even though these people have access to internet, they cannot use it for anything that would help their quality of life significantly.

This article calls for some measures to be put into place to try to help equal access to internet. It recognized Comcast's attempt at giving low income households internet access by offering very low income internet to households that are eligible for the free lunch program at school. The article said there should be mobile access stations (which are like bookmobiles, which I had never heard of, so if you haven't either, here is a site).

Either way it is important to recognize that people who do not have internet at home don't get to just mess around with it as much as those who do, and as a result people without internet at home won't be as easily able to navigate it; so while making mobile sites of log-in available for people who don't have access to technology might at least give them the access for things that they need to do, it still might not be easy for those who don't get to practice being on the internet to use it. 

Thinking about what to do

So I don't have a whole lot of time before my presentation, I need to get to work. I think I want to do something with the fact that not all students have equal access to technology, and I want to see how that will effect them in their future. With so many jobs requiring that employees are digitally literate, does the technology that we are now privy to help marginalized people? Or does it further marginalize them? What can be done to make sure that we aren't hurting those who don't have equal access to technology. I think about a student that I have who is duel enrolled at CNM right now. He was absent and I asked him if he emailed the teacher to let him know that he would be absent. No, he doesn't have internet at home. Well there goes my next question: did you email the assignment to him. No, of course not, he couldn't.

Another thing I have thought about is that one of my kid's teachers has a web site for the class. What a neat idea and a neat way for parents to stay connected. And parents who don't have internet... can't. I don't think that teachers should stray away from neat things like class web sites because not all people can access them, but I am curious about ways in which teachers can use technology without alienating some students and families.