Americas Digital Divide

Tiffany Fijalkovic
EDU 352 Dr. E
10/7/17
1 Americas Digital Divide

Is the digital divide still an issue in 2017? Are there still homes and schools currently

that are not capable of broad band internet? The notion of the "digital divide" denotes to the

disparity between the underprivileged members of society, who do not have access to computers

or the internet; and the members of society who have the means and have access to the internet

and computers. How can we overcome the digital divide?

The Digital Divide of the past isnt the same as the digital divide of today. The

digital divide of the late 90s and early 2000s meant that the underprivileged couldnt afford the

luxury of a personal computer and the internet at their home. With the advent of cheaper

technology and easier access to the internet means those same people have access to the internet

and personal computers. Today the divide we face is usability divide and that means that

technology is extremely complicated for some. The people that find technology too complex

couldnt use a computer even if they had one handed to them free of charge. Many of todays

population have lower literacy skills, however, few websites follow guidelines for writing for

that populace. Lower literacy is todays web access dilemma. The lower literacy populace are

getting on the computers, smart-phones, tablets, etc. and wasting time with Facebook, YouTube,

and social media. This population is at a disadvantage because they dont know how to use the

internet for beneficial reasons like: doing research, applying for jobs, going to college, taking on-

line classes, learning, etc. Another unimaginable aspect of the digital divide is there are still areas

where internet access is slow, outdated, and that is the rural communities. Many schools and

households located in the rural areas have no access to high speed internet. In the US, about

14.5m of the 19m people that lack broadband access are in rural areas (Andreasson, 2013).

Some took notice and many policy-making efforts have promoted online connection in rural
2 Americas Digital Divide

areas, the United States Department of Agriculture promoted broadband access programs such as

the Sustainable Broadband Adoption Program (LaRose et al., 2012). In 2011 Comcast launched

a program called Internet Essentials, it offers families discounted monthly broadband internet

service (Wilson-Scott, 2017). Comcast will even provide families with computers for those who

do not have internet ready computers (Wilson-Scott, 2017). If other companies who have the

means to help the digital divide could help the problem could be solved in a few years.

The internet is ever more vital for getting an education, finding a job, managing health

care, managing finances, paying bills, getting discounts in relation to shopping, and the latest

research from Pew shows that about 27 percent of the population is still not connected to the

internet (Wilson-Scott, 2017). People who are not connected do not have access to broadband in

their area, or cant afford broadband or a computer, even though Comcast offers discounts. The

research shows large numbers of households without broadband are low-income families and/or

families of color (Wilson-Scott, 2017). In some families in low-income neighborhoods school-

aged children, and teens must go and sit in front of school to do their homework. In America,

there are 5 million families without internet, and in some cities and towns the school aged

children are struggling to do their homework because of the lack of internet access (Kang, 2016).

My children live in a county where computers are given to each student, but without internet

connection at home the computers are useless. The digital divide effects the children of

America.

In my home state of Virginia more than 70% of the worlds Internet traffic runs through

data centers in Northern Virginia, but you cant even get 4G LTE wireless service on more than

7,700 road miles in rural parts of that same state, and this is widespread in rural America (Pai,

2017). If you live in rural America, theres a 1-in-4 chance that you lack access to fixed high-
3 Americas Digital Divide

speed broadband at home, compared to a 1-in-50 probability in urban areas (Pai, 2017). The

statistics mostly discuss outside the classroom, but what about inside the classrooms in these

areas. There is digital divide that is associated with classrooms located in different areas. The

computers in schools of low-income areas are under high security. They are usually kept in

locked computer labs where students arent free to use them whenever they wish (Krogh, 2015).

This is a disadvantage for students, and some of the students have a double disadvantage because

they dont have a computer at home. These students only get a few hours per week to access and

learn to research on the internet. Students who attend schools like this are going to suffer long-

term effects when it comes to higher education or a career. When they attend college they will

be lost because technology knowledge is a must. Researching papers, studying, accessing

student portals, applying for scholarships, tuition assistance, e-mailing these are all things that a

student must know how to do to succeed. Most job applications, resume posters, and classifieds

are on-line. It is pertinent to have the competence to accomplish these objectives and many other

on-line only situations. Technology is always advancing and it is so important to be advancing

with it.

The students are not the only ones who are lacking in the technology department it is

some teachers too. Many school systems provide all the technology training that a teacher needs

to be successful in their class. There are 38% of teachers whom are uncomfortable with using

and teaching technology (Krogh, 2015). The children in the classrooms of the 38% suffer and

the students with these teachers in a low-income area really suffer (Krogh, 2015)! The other

62% understand and are comfortable with using and teaching technology (Krogh, 2015). With

the teachers that dont understand some of their students may be advanced using technology and

these students could assist the teacher and classmates. The teachers in this situation can attend
4 Americas Digital Divide

technology training until they are comfortable. A teacher can advise students that dont have

access to computers at home where to go to access them. They can suggest public libraries, boys

and girls clubs, etc. This may work for students who live in the urban or suburban areas, but not

Americas farmland where some farms are an hour or two away from a public library? In some

cities and towns there is wifi on the school buses, and children have to do their homework on the

bus. Some are parked in certain neighborhoods so the kids can do their homework and have

access to the interenet. In places like Appalachia the residents are still using dial-up, I have not

used dial-up since 2002, that is 15 years ago! Dial-up when it first came to fruition was paid for

by the minute, and was slow as molases. Going to the library in my high school was easier to

research with books then utilizing the dial up search engines. Learning the dewey decimal

system was more helpful then sitting at a dial-up computer. Back in the day when it seemed like

electricity was out of the question for many rural areas, it happened! Today that is how

broadband seems for these same areas. Broadband is just as important as electricity to many

households, and must be implemented. It is up to legislators to fight to have broadband in every

town, and make it affordable, how to do it must be researched.

President Trump promised money towards Americas infrastructure to rescue the

Universal Service Fund (Which is a system of telecommunications subsidies and fees managed

by the United States Federal Communications Commission intended to promote universal access

to telecommunications services in the United States) from the sinking landline(we cant trust a

thing Trump says!). Other remedies are commonsensical, like requiring companies to share

poles, or a "dig once" policy of laying cable during road building. Competition would remedy

the problem but only exists in only a quarter of areas wired for broadband. Some annoyed towns

and cities have responded by building their own servers, but in response to these towns in some
5 Americas Digital Divide

20 states, cable companies have swayed legislatures to ban the practice, and that means one thing

GREED on their part. We take technology for granted and we shouldnt, because many people

do not have access. Technology is a tool that assists in every aspect of our lives. Even though

more and more people have access to computers, smart phones, tablets it doesnt mean that they

are utilizing the technology like they should. Education has been advanced in so many ways by

computers and internet access. Hopefully in the next few years every school in America can

have full access to high speed internet. In the future, I hope that 100% of teachers are

comfortable with using and teaching technology, and I hope every living person has access to

broadband, for the sake of Americas future generations.

6 Americas Digital Divide

Cites:

Andreasson, K. (2013, November 1). Redefining the Digital Divide. Retrieved August 31 , 2017,

from http://www.economistinsights.com/analysis/redefining-digital-divide

Barth, P., & Mitchell, R. (2001). Smart start II: Why standards matter. Golden, CO: Fulcrum

Resources.

Grinager, H. (2006). Technology in K-12 education. National Conference of State Legislatures.

Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org

Kang, C. (2016, February 22). Bridging a Digital Divide That Leaves Schoolchildren Behind.

Retrieved September 04, 2017, from

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/technology/fcc-internet-access-school.html

Krogh, S., Fielstein, L., Phelps, P. & Newman, R. (2015). Introduction to education: Choosing

to teach. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

LaRose, R., DeMaagd, K., Chew, H. E., Tsai, H. S., Steinfield, C., Wildman, S. S., Bauer, J. M.

(2012). Measuring sustainable broadband adoption: An innovative approach to

understanding broadband adoption and use. International Journal of Communication, 6,

25762600
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Pai, A. (2017, July 13). Bridging the Digital Divide. Retrieved September 04, 2017, from

https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2017/07/13/bridging-digital-divide

Wilson-Scott, D. (2017, February 28). One Company's Approach to Bridging the Digital Divide.

Retrieved September 04, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/one-

companys-approach-to-bridging-the-digital-divide_us_5899da10e4b0985224db59ef