Scribd
Upload
47 views16 pages

The Digital Divide: John Vennewitz

The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to disparities in access to technology and the internet. It exists both between developed and developing countries, as well as within countries. Factors that create the divide include differences in access to technology, literacy levels, education, and income/poverty. Effects of the digital divide include limited career and education opportunities and feeling disconnected from online services. Various organizations are working to address the divide through approaches like distributing cheaper computers and raising awareness of the issue.

Uploaded by

john_vennewitz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
47 views16 pages

The Digital Divide: John Vennewitz

The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to disparities in access to technology and the internet. It exists both between developed and developing countries, as well as within countries. Factors that create the divide include differences in access to technology, literacy levels, education, and income/poverty. Effects of the digital divide include limited career and education opportunities and feeling disconnected from online services. Various organizations are working to address the divide through approaches like distributing cheaper computers and raising awareness of the issue.

Uploaded by

john_vennewitz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 16

The Digital Divide

John Vennewitz
Before we begin…
• Group up with some classmates for a group
discussion.
• How often do you use a computer or the
internet?
• What do you use them for?
• Do you think you would be able to go for a
week without using a computer, cell phone or
the internet? Why or why not?
What is the digital divide?
The digital divide is a term that refers
to the disparity in access to information
and technology - primarily computers
and the internet. It also refers to the
availability of the knowledge necessary
to properly use this technology.
Where does this divide exist?
It is easy to see the divide between first
and third world countries. However, it
is also easy to overlook the fact that
this divide exists within our own
country.
Factors that create the divide
• Technology
• Literacy
• Education
Technology
• The obvious first
factor is simply the
level of access to
technology such as
computers,
broadband internet
and mobile phones.
Literacy
• The basic ability to
read and write is
essential for the
effective use of
computers and the
internet.
• Roughly 1/5th of
Americans are
functionally illiterate.
Education
• Another important factor in the divide is
the ability to use available technology
effectively.
• This includes being able to use basic
tools such as word processors, e-mail
and the internet.
Poverty and the divide
• Income plays a large role in the digital
divide.
• People from lower income households
are less likely to be able to afford a
computer or broadband internet and
more likely to be illiterate.
Fear of the Internet
• Some people simply
distrust the Internet.
• Fear of identity theft
when making
purchases/banking.
• Wary of viruses.
• Fear of online
predators.
Effects
• Lack of access to computers and the
internet is detrimental in today’s
society.
• Limits career options.
• Educational disadvantages.
• Disconnected from the world as more
services move online.
Group Activity
• Get together with some classmates.
Each group will be founding a fictional
organization whose goal is bridging the
digital divide. Outline what you would
do to address this problem. Be
creative!
Attempts to bridge the Divide
• There are currently many organizations
and governments working to reduce the
divide.
• However, some areas are simply too
poor to realistically get everyone
connected to the internet.
Cheaper computers
• One approach to
reducing the divide
is simply building
and distributing
cheaper computers.
The One Laptop per
Child organization is
a prominent
example of this
methodology.
Raising awareness
• Many people are not
even aware of the
divide or its effects
on millions of people
worldwide.
• The UN has made
May 17th World
Information Society
Day, in order to help
raise awareness.
Wrapping up…
• Meet with your group again for one last quick
discussion.
• As students, you don’t have the resources to
bring information communication technology
to poor areas of the world.
• However, you CAN help raise awareness
about the problem. Come up with a few
ways that you can do this.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy