Digital Divide...two different problems

       There are two levels of Digital Divide in the world today that affect every American, whether they realize it or not.  According to Dictonary.com, digital divide is defined as “the gap between those people who have internet access and those who do not” (digital divide, n.d.).  This initial definition of digital divide seems simple, either you have access or you do not.  Recently, there is a second divide that has been recognized, and it seems as big a problem as the first divide.  The second level divide is among the individuals that do have access to the internet and is a defined by the difference in how technology is used (Reinhart, et al. p 181).  Today we will look at both of the digital divides, their effects on our education system, the socio-economic classes, the economy and what is currently being done to erase the clear lines of division.

            Because there is no way to test the knowledge of everyone in the United States, the number of people in the second level digital divide is not able to be accurately estimated.  There are an estimated 18 million Americans in the initial digital divide without broadband internet service, according to the Federal Communication Commission.  Broadband internet service seems to have varying degrees of speed, depending on the specific type and level of service, its lowest speed is 200 kbps (kilobits per second) and some high speeds offer 50 to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).  Most residential broadband suppliers provide faster downstream speeds (from the Internet to the user’s computer) than upstream speeds (from the computer to the Internet) as the majority of residential use is for downstream (Federal Communications Commission, 2012).  Of the estimated 18 million Americans, there is clear division of the classes and races.  According to the Pew Foundation, their recent poll found that 90 percent of high income families have broadband access, compared to only 46 percent of low income families.  In addition, less than 50 of elderly, rural, African-Americans, and Latinos have access. (O’Brien, 2011)  Lower income homes with children are more likely to own a computer than lower income homes without children; and of those without access, forty-seven percent say they do not have access due to a lack of need or interest (US Department of Commerce, 2011).  It would make sense that families with children have a computer because they are able to see the need for a computer in order to further their child’s education.  If there are 18 million Americans without access and forty-seven percent of those do not think they have a need for internet, there is a clear need to educate Americans about the importance of integrating technology into your life or the probability of being left behind and securing a poverty stricken lifestyle. 

           

In order to close the digital divide gap, there must be a bigger emphasis education of adults, as well as, incorporating computers into the classrooms, but we will start with the schools.  Many schools do not have the funding to supply a sufficient number of computers for the students, nor do they have adequate internet access.  Since there is not a computer for every student in the classroom, the teachers are limited in the amount of work they can incorporate into the classroom.  In addition, not all students have computers and internet access at home, so teachers are limited in the amount of homework they can give that requires the use of computers and the internet.  In their exploratory study, Journal of Instructional Psychology, Julie Reinhart, Earl Thomas & Jeanne Toriskie (2011) found that without the necessary technological innovations, schools are not properly preparing students to work in the 21^st century (p. 181).  Schools with technology facilitators are able to improve the use of technology and create instruction that is relevant to their own students, but technology facilitators are found to be concentrated at schools with lower percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunches, yet this is where they are needed the most.  These inadequacies and the feeble methods used by the teachers are proof that greater awareness of the Second-Level Digital Divide are of the highest concern (p. 191).  Adults that are not in college, must have the initiative to learn about computers and their use by their own means, or that of employers and agencies in their community. 

            Just because you give someone a computer or internet access, you cannot expect them to know how to perform basic functions, and understand all of its capabilities.  Top activities are search, email, shopping, banking and social media sites and have been for years (Zickuhr, et al., 2012).  Many people are unable to perform tasks to help better themselves such as, create a resume, complete a job application, upload or attach a resume, and send professional follow-up emails.  Today the majority of businesses only accept on-line applications; therefore, if you are not computer literate then you are limiting your employment opportunities.  In addition to the application, employment paperwork, such as I-9’s and W-4’s, paystubs and timekeeping are all moving to on-line systems.  In the last decade there has been a major shift in the way businesses recruit and interview, even for manual labor positions.  This shift from paper to on-line processes helps businesses ensure that all applicants have computer knowledge; therefore the person should be more easily trained.  If you do not own a computer or have internet access, it makes the application process more difficult.  There are very few positions that do not require some use of computers and businesses know that computers will become even more prevalent in the future as technology continues to advance.  In addition, if you do not possess satisfactory computer skills, you are likely to be passed over for a candidate that does.  Even if the position does not currently require computer use, businesses know that all positions will likely require computer use in the very near future.  Within the last decade many manual labor positions such as, machine operator, shipping and receiving clerks, pickers and packers that never required any use of computers, now require some use of computer programs in order to perform these jobs.  This leads to the effects on the classes and the economy.

            As you can see in the chart below, we have come a long way since 2000, but there is still a long way to go in order to close the divide (Zickuhr, et al. 2012).

            Without internet access and adequate computer skills, individuals will either be unable to obtain employment, or be forced to accept some of the lowest paying jobs available.  If the estimated 20% of the population that is currently without internet access does not obtain access, along with the necessary computer skills, they will continue to fall further behind and unable to contribute to society (O’Brien 2011).  This will create more financial burden on the unemployment and welfare systems, higher crime rates as people suffer financially, and will require the government to offer even more free programs to educate the individuals from the first divide, as well as, those that are currently part of the second level divide.  The digital divide already costs the government extra money as they must maintain both manual and on-line systems to accommodate individuals with internet access (O’Brien 2011).  This creates higher taxes and greater division among the classes.  Technology is advancing at a greater rate than the public school system and lower income families can afford to keep up with, both in acquiring the technology and educating themselves in order to acquire the skills needed to utilize the new technology.  

            Ensuring that everyone in the United States has affordable access to the internet is just the first step in clearing the digital divide.  In 2008 President Barack Obama directed 7.2 billion of his stimulus plan to funding broadband projects, $251 million went to broadband implementation among vulnerable populations and $201 million went to grants for public computer centers. (Dunbar, 2012)  According to O’Brien (2011), the FCC released the National Broadband Plan in 2010 in an attempt to reach universal adoption, as well as, address the many complexities of the digital divide.  They changed the Universal Service Fund, previously dedicated to telephone adoption, to the Connect America Fund that will help millions acquire broadband internet service.  Secondly, an agreement with broadband providers to create $9.95-a-month plan for families eligible for federal lunch plans called “Connect to Compete” was created.  Thirdly, they created a nonprofit public-private partnership with many telecommunications and tech companies to provide digital literacy and skill training (O’Brien, 2011).  As part of the fight against the both digital divides, Comcast created the “Internet Essentials” program which provides discounted home Internet services, vouchers to purchase low-cost computers and access to free digital literacy training to poor families.  In the programs first year they helped 7,000 families in Chicago and 100,000 nationwide. (Knowles, 2012)  These are all great programs, but in order to be effective, information about these programs has to reach the intended audience. 

           

An invention that is helping to close the digital divide is the Smartphone which allows individuals to access the internet and perform many of the same functions from your hand-held device that you would from any other computer.  The ease and quickly reducing cost, has allowed many individuals to obtain internet access that could not gain access before.  In Pews most recent surveys, they found that there is not significant difference in the demographics of Smartphone users as there are broadband users and that Smartphone users are much more active in their internet use with wired devices (Zickuhr, 2012).  As more and more businesses create mobile applications, it allows these users to connect from their phone for job applications, to research information, send and receive email; therefore, gaining pertinent internet skills and helping to close the divide.

            This leads us to what you can do to help close the digital divide in your area.  First, educate yourself on the latest technology.  Secondly, educate your family, friends and neighbors in the community about the importance of having a computer, internet access, and closing the digital divide.  Finally, find public computer centers and research free training in your area for those that are in need and help them to get started. 

            Although you may not be part of either digital divide, the divide does affect every American.  Those in either divide are at a great disadvantage, are unable to effectively contribute to society.  Their financial burden on society increases taxes and creates more division among the classes.  Without the proper technological education, individuals will fall further and further behind.  American’s have to come together to educate each other on the importance of accepting technological advances, the importance of proper education of those advances at every level, and closing the digital divide in order to have 100% contribution to our economy and the advancements of our country.

References

digital divide. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition.   Retrieved from: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digital divide

Federal Communications Commission, (2012), Getting Broadband Retrieved from http://www.fcc.gov/guides/getting-broadband

US Department of Commerce, (2011) Exploring the Digital Nation - Computer and Internet Use at Home, Retrieved from http://www.esa.doc.gov/Reports/exploring-digital-nation-computer-and-internet-use-home

Dunbar, J. (2012) Poverty Stretches the Digital Divide Retrieved from http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/mar/23/poverty-stretches-digital-divide/

O'Brien, C., (2011) FCC Chair Making Progress to Bridge the Digital Divide, Christ Oakland Tribune [Oakland, Calif] Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/newsstand/docview/911547489/1390E5E5BB361635A71/1?accountid=32521

Reinhart, Julie M; Thomas, Earl; Toriskie, Jeanne M., (2011) K-12 Teachers: Technology Use and the Second Level Digital Divide Journal of Instructional Psychology 38 (ps 181-193). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1015179579/fulltextPDF/1390E6678C01FB418EA/8?accountid=32521

Zickuhr, K., Smith, A., (2012) Internet activities: Those already online are doing more, Digital Differences, Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences/Main-Report/Internet-activities-Those-already-online-are-doing-more.aspx

Knowles, F (2012) Comcast program narrows digital divide in Chicago Sun Times Retrieved from http://www.suntimes.com/business/14503657-420/comcast-expands-low-income-internet-program.html