Digital Inequality

Definition and Options

Digital Divide
Since the mid-1990s, researchers have found a difference in the amount and type of internet usage based on social groupings The first gap was between those that had Internet access and those that didnt

Further Research
However, research quickly showed that divisions also existed based on
o o o o o o o o

Region of residency Employment Income Education Race/Ethnicity Age Gender Family Structure

Digital Inequality
As research continued, it was clear that there wasnt a digital divide that was occurring, but direct inequality that was occurring Signs of digital inequality were showing not only in the US, but across the world as well

Changes in the United States

The federal government wanted to improve the digital inequality that was present within the United States Daring statement by President Obama:
o

"Within the next five years, we'll make it possible for businesses to deploy the next generation of highspeed wireless coverage to 98 percent of all Americans." (2010 State of the Union address)

National Educational Technology Plan that focuses on Plan

large-scale changes within the United States in order to obtain the technology goals set forth by President Obama Goals are given for: o Learning o Assessment o Teaching o Infrastructure o Productivity

National Educational Technology Plan: Learning

Requires that teachers put students at the center of learning
o

An infrastructure for learning is always on, available to students, educators, and administrators regardless of their location or time of day.

Empower them to take control of their own learning by providing flexibility on several dimensions.

National Educational Technology Plan: Teaching

Educators and leaders must be provided with support to help them manage the assessment process, analyze relevant data, and take appropriate action Strengthening and elevating the teaching profession is integral Teachers need to be provided with basic skills and understanding needed to use technology daily

National Educational Technology Plan: Assessment

Assessments should address the wide range of competencies that are required by standards Technology can be used to gather information from all students, not just the chosen few that respond inside the classroom Technology-based learning activities can also gather data for formative assessments

National Educational Technology Plan: Infrastructure

Fundamental structural changes need to be made in order to improvements in productivity State and local public education institutions must ensure equitable access to learning experiences for all students regardless of environmental, social, or physical factors

National Educational Technology Plan: Productivity

To reach the president's higher education goals by 2020, the number of college graduates needs to increase from 40% to 60% Leaders are needed in the education system that understand the importance of technology There needs to be an understanding that this is a goal that needs continuous improvement

"It is dangerously destabilizing to have half the world on the cutting edge of technology while the other half struggles on the bare edge of survival." Bill Clinton

7 Options to Address the Issue of Digital Inequality in the State

A report from the DITF (Digital Inequality Task Force)

This task force was formed by the Superintendant of Public Instruction to evaluate 7 options to address digital inequalities in the state.
Task Force Members: Michael Kriscenski Alicen Hoy Lacey Hall

Duties
The task force was charged with finding cost efficient and highly effective ways of addressing the issue of digital inequalities in the state. $50 million dollars has been allocated to this initiative with the superintendent asking the task force to prioritize seven possible options to achieve this goal.

7 Options to Consider
1. Install computers in all public libraries in the state and expand the hours when the computers are available. 2. Expand staffing and other resources so that public schools can be open to the public after normal school hours, on weekends, and during the summer months. 3. Provide individuals in disadvantaged communities with computers. 4. Provide high-speed Internet and mobile access for all state residents.

7 Options to Consider
5. Subsidize Internet Service Providers to provide low-cost Internet to all state residents. 6. Provide information literacy courses to enhance computer skills and enable knowledgeable use of digital technologies. 7. Develop free online educational content, giving first priority to content most relevant to lower socio-economic groups before content that is relevant to the rest of the public.

Options

The following slides will present the options presented to this committee in order of priority as assessed by this task force.

Option One
Install computers in all public libraries in the state and expand the hours when the computers are available.
This would make technology available to the public in a monitored setting. It would ensure that the technology is being used for educational purposes and not for personal use. Most public libraries have some computers, so this would be a relatively inexpensive project to fund.

Option Two
Provide information literacy courses to enhance computer skills and enable knowledgeable use of digital technologies.
In order for the general public to rely on technology for educational purposes, they must feel comfortable using computers. Courses that teach basic skills would be beneficial to the public and necessary in order to use technology community-wide. Individuals must understand how to use the technology before it can benefit them.

Option Three
Expand staffing and other resources so that public schools can be open to the public after normal school hours, on weekends, and during the summer months.
Several schools already have computer labs, so this project would be inexpensive. Staff would need to monitor the school to ensure that the computers were being used for educational content only.

Option Four
Subsidize Internet Service Providers to provide lowcost Internet to all state residents.
This would help technology to be more affordable to families. Families would be able to use the Internet in their own homes and have access to educational content 24/7.

Option Five
Provide high-speed Internet and mobile access for all state residents.
Would be a costly project. Each state resident would also be required to have the hardware on which to access the Internet. High-speed Internet would expand and be an option to those in areas who may only currently have a dial-up connection.

Option Six
Provide individuals in disadvantaged communities with computers.
This would provide individuals with access to the Internet and educational content 24/7. Determining who would be eligible would be a difficult task. It would be a costly project to fund.

Option Seven
Develop free online educational content, giving first priority to content most relevant to lower socioeconomic groups before content that is relevant to the rest of the public.
Free educational content that is available to the public is a great idea and would be inexpensive. Individuals must first have the hardware and Internet access in order to make use of this option.

References
Neckerman, K.A., Ed. (2004). Social Inequality. [Google Books Version]. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books US Department of Education. (2010). National Education Technology Plan 2010. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov /technology/netp-2010