What is the Digital Divide?
It generally means the gap between a region and demographics in terms of having and not having access to modern technologies. In short, it is a term that used to classify people or region according to having access to the latest information and technology.
Factors
Well, it comprises a lot of factors. Few of them are:
Social factors Economic factors Technological factors, etc.
Age, gender, family structure, education, ethnicity, etc. can be mentioned as social factors—education, earnings, infrastructure, GDP, etc. Determine the economic factor. Access to the latest information, technology, internet, etc. are mentionable as technological factors.
Bridging the Issue
We must realize the importance of bridging the digital divide as we are living in the 21st century. There is no room for us to keep a certain race of people isolated from getting all the hi-tech privileges. The basic solution to this problem is to computerize the whole system adequately. The rest of the things will be fixed on their own under this policy—every student getting access to a computer. Internet learning would be at their fingertips. Even farmers are having access to the internet to get the solution to all his issues instantly. This policy is highly recommended for the people of the third world where access to modern technology and the internet are highly denied since the ratio of the digital divide in the developed part of the world is lesser compared to the third world. And the pioneer to bridging the digital divide has to be mainly the people who already have the privilege of having all the hi-tech service. And most importantly, the government of the respective country/region has to play the primary role towards the whole thing.
Digital Divide in Education
This problem in education occurs almost everywhere in the world. It gets intense when the divide takes place between the people/students who are not stable socially and economically and the people who are stable according to the same measurement criteria. This issue is not only an American problem; it is a global issue. It is not an issue of black and Hispanics. Race, gender, social status are the main ingredients of the digital divide in education.
Conclusion
We need to be serious about this thing. It has a none less long-term damaging impact than the other issues of the world, which we have been focusing on with great concern. A problem is a problem. It should be treated like this. The idea is to convey the modern technological facilities to all the students in the world. Everyone has their role to play to this. The government and NGO’s need to create awareness in the society. The guardians need to understand the importance of the digitalization of education. The teacher’s need to be updated through regular workshops. Everybody related to any education needs to be familiar with modern information and technologies. On top of all, providing computer and internet in every classroom and to every student would be a perfect idea to approach education’s digital divide.
