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Addressing Digital Inequality

Beta Task Force | November 2012

Digital inequality and the digital divide
Effect educational system in Kentucky
Review proposed solutions with recommendation

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Project Purpose

Address digital inequalities within Kentucky
Allocation of $50 million
Seven possible solutions
Provide a recommendation

Terry Holliday, Ph.D, Kentucky Commissioner of Education

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Digital Inequality

Differing levels of access to the Internet and computers
Causes

Income
Rurality
Education

Term has evolved over time
Advantages of having access to technology
Entertainment vs. Empowerment Divide

Traditionally, digital inequality is defined as the differing levels of access to the Internet and computers. This difference is usually attributed to a difference in socioeconomic factors such as household income, rurality, and education level. The digital divide has traditionally been described as the resulting difference in education and technological skill level.

However, according to Mary Beth Hertz (2011), the term “digital divide” has evolved to mean more than just who has internet access and who does not, and the effect this has on their advantages in life. Instead, a larger percentage of minorities and relatively disadvantaged populations use their cell phone for email and internet access, but not for self-improving purposes like self-education. This is referred to as the “entertainment vs. empowerment divide,” emphasizing the kind of access rather than the access itself.

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Digital Divide

Wireless < wired
Computer > smartphone
Stern, Adams, & Elsasser

Gaps in levels of access and new technologies
Web usage skill levels

Technology being used to simplify daily activities

Photo courtesy of Publishing Perspectives

Photo courtesy of BGR

Photo courtesy of FreshX

For example, although lower income, minority communities have wide access to mobile phones and use them for wireless Internet access, this is not a good substitute for a wired connection. Greater access to rich graphics and data is more readily available on a computer that uses a broadband connection than it is on a smartphone using wifi (Bernard, 2011).

The effect of the difference in knowledge, education, and ability regarding technology is also a net disadvantage for the groups with less depth to their internet exposure and use. According to Stern, Adams and Elsasser, there are gaps in levels of access to the Internet and new technologies as they become available, such as DSL, cable, or wireless modems. There are also differences in levels of skill in Web usage. In fact, Stern, Adams, and Elsasser write that some newer arguments concern the issue of whether access is the most fundamental problem any longer, as Internet saturation levels have reached a very high percentage in the United States. Instead, research now shows that the divide is more evident between those with high and low computer ability levels. Finally, there clear differences in whether people use technology to simplify their daily activities, such as for money management or scheduling.

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Prioritizing the 7 Solutions

Provide information literacy courses to enhance computer skills and enable knowledgeable use of digital technologies.
Install computers in all public libraries in the state and expand the hours when the computers are available.
Provide high-speed Internet and mobile access for all state residents.

Seven potential options for bridging the digital divide were provided to the Beta Task Force. The task force critiqued each item and prioritized them in a manner that we felt would best address digital inequality in Kentucky.

Our top choice was to provide information literacy courses to enhance computer skills and enable knowledgeable use of digital technologies. This option is applicable for students, teachers, and the general public. Information literacy courses can be easily disseminated via the Internet for use in a school, public library, or home setting. The courses can be self-directed or have a guided delivery to meet each learner’s needs. We highly encourage teachers to utilize these tools as continuing education, as the courses will help them facilitate the learning of new technologies to their students.

Our second choice was to install computers in all public libraries in the state and expand the hours when the computers are available. We believe this is an economically feasible solution that provided students an opportunity to learn new technologies with support from library staff. It is preferred to provide this access within the home, but due to cost limitations, access at a library may be an appropriate solution to consider.

We feel that the third best option is to provide high-speed Internet and mobile access for all state residents. Providing free high-speed Internet access would help relieve a financial burden from many households, although this option does have its downsides. In a research study conducted by J. Kirk Atkinson and Phillip D. Coleman from Western Kentucky University entitled “The Digital Divide in Kentucky: Is Rural Online Learning Sustainable?” the researchers noted that due to the mountainous topography of most of rural eastern Kentucky, many lines of cable must be run, which would be very costly. The mountainous region also provides difficulty to satellite delivery as well (Atkinson & Coleman, 2011). For this option to be acceptable, the Department of Education would need to work with local municipalities and Internet Service Providers to ensure that each household is served adequately.

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Prioritizing the 7 Solutions

4. Provide individuals in disadvantaged communities with

computers.

5. Develop free online educational content, giving first

priority to content most relevant to low socio-economic

groups before content that is relevant to the rest of the

public.

6. 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.

7. Subsidize Internet Service Providers to provide

low-cost Internet to all state residents.

The fourth of the seven options we see is to provide individuals in disadvantaged communities with computers. We find that this option is less desirable because even with the new computers, the individual still must acquire Internet access. This access may prove to be too costly for many Kentuckians. Census data shows that Kentucky has a below poverty percentage of 17.7%, much higher than the 13.8% national average. Due to current federal administration and regulation on the coal industry, which is a prominent industry for eastern Kentucky, we believe the poverty levels will continue to rise making this option more of an economical hardship.

The fifth option is to 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. Although we feel this option would be less costly, we believe it will have very limited impact. The lower socio-economic groups will have limited required hardware and ability to access the content. We believe the money would be better served with other options.

The sixth option is to 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. We do not recommend this option as the state school system is already strapped for finances and resources.

The seventh and final option is to subsidize Internet Service Providers to provide low-cost Internet to all state residents.

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Prioritizing the 7 Solutions

Install computers in public libraries / expand hours.

Expand staffing / resources so that public schools are open after school, weekends, and summer months.

Provide disadvantaged individuals with computers.

Internet/mobile access for all residents.

Subsidize Internet Service Providers.

Provide information literacy courses.

Develop online content, giving priority to lower socio-economic groups.

Least Effective

Most Effective

Low Cost

High Cost

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Recommendations

Professional development for librarians
Pilot program to ensure quality and appropriateness
Volunteers help answer questions
Advertising via utility and tax bills and public television
Partner with broadband provider or Google Fiber

“This Library afforded me the means of improvement...” --Benjamin Franklin

Professional development for librarians is vital for the success of this program. Librarians must be comfortable with the course materials, activities, and assessments. A pilot program is also important to ensure the quality and appropriateness of the content. Volunteers can also be utilized to help answer questions both in libraries and in online forums. The courses would be offered both in person at public libraries and online through the libraries’ websites and other local government sites. Advertising for these free resources can be done via utility and tax bills and other public correspondence such as public television. Providing Internet and mobile access for all is possible by partnering with a broadband provider or Google Fiber. Negotiating lowered rates should be easier because of the number of citizens involved with the program.

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Conclusion

Digital inequality refers to access to technology
Digital divide is the difference in education and skills
Utilize library resources

Outreach
Access
Education

Broaden access and increase training

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References

Atkinson, J. K., & Coleman, P. D. (2011). The digital divide in kentucky: Is rural online learning sustainable?. Journal of sustainability education, 2, Retrieved from http://www.jsedimensions.org/wordpress/content/the-digital-divide-in-kentucky-is-rural-online-learning-sustainable_2011_03/

Bernard, Sara. (2011 August 8). Crossing the Digital Divide: Bridges and Barriers to Digital Inclusion by Sara Bernard

http://www.edutopia.org/digital-divide-technology-access-inclusion

Hertz, Mary Beth A New Understanding of the Digital Divide October 24, 2011

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-divide-technology-internet-access-mary-beth-hertz

Stern, M. J., Adams, A. E., & Elsasser, S. (2009). Digital Inequality and Place: The Effects of Technological Diffusion on Internet Proficiency and Usage across Rural, Suburban, and Urban Counties. Sociological Inquiry, 79(4), 391–417.