Digital Divide Presentation

Melisa Altintas, Gianni Brescio, and Elena Kim

Digital Divide and Poverty

After COVID-19, the digital divide between low-income and high-income households has progressively gotten worse

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The Digital Divide and Healthcare

The Digital Divide and Employment

The Digital Divide and Education

We will be covering...

Defining the Digital Divide

More vulnerable populations often have to deal with more than just one of these problems, which magnifies the problem.

The Digital Divide in a General Sense

Definition: the gap in access to and use of technology and the internet

It is also about the reliability, speed, and affordability of internet and data access.

% of US households who lack a high-speed connection at home

% of US adults who have access to the following

Those who lack broadband access the most are lower-income and Black

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Families with lower incomes have the least access to various types of technology.

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https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/06/22/digital-divide-persists-even-as-americans-with-lower-incomes-make-gains-in-tech-adoption/ft_2021-06-22_digitaldivideincome_01-png/

Africa

The majority of the population in Africa doesn't have access to technology

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The Digital Divide and Education

Overall Impacts of Lack of Access to Technology on Education

Impacts After COVID-19

The pandemic had many long-lasting impacts on education in the US, all of which collectively worsened the digital divide

Group 2: Annual income more than $75k

Group 1: Annual income less than $30k

___________

Aim:To investigate the extent of the digital divide in different populations through various measures

Methodology:Interviews were conducted with both groups of individuals. They were either online or held by telephone.

Overall Impacts of Lack of Access to Technology on Education

NORC AmeriSpeak Panel Study

Sample Group:1058 parents who belong to the panel and have a teen (13-17 ages) and 743 teens

Measure 1: High-speed internet connection at home in households with children aged 6-17

The majority of Group 1 doesn't have access to a high-speed internet connection at home while this is a minority in Group 2

Overall Impacts of Lack of Access to Technology on Education

The increase in the percentage as income decreases implies that teens from lower-income households are obliged to use their cell phones because they don't have computers. This significantly lowers the quality of their performance and also limits the benefits they get from doing homework

The following bar graph shows the percentage of US teens who have to do their homework on a cellphone

Measure 3: Ability to complete homework based on access to a computer

Considering how vital homework is for revision, the limited access to the internet sets individuals from households with an income less than $30K far behind their peers.

The following bar graph shows the percentage of US teens who are unable to complete their homework due to the lack of a reliable computer or internet connection

Starting situation/ oals

Measure 2: Ability to complete homework based on access to the internet

Overall Impacts of Lack of Access to Technology on Education

The following bar graph shows the percentage of US teens who have to seek out other locations (than their houses) and use public Wi-Fi to complete their schoolwork

Measure 4: Ability to complete homework based on location

Starting situation/ Goals

Overall Impacts of Lack of Access to Technology on Education

Overall impacts of lack of access to technology on education

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Implications for Education

Unequal Access to Online Learning

The lack of access creates a significant barrier to learning, further exacerbating the digital divide.

The Achievement Gap

Students in Group 1 will struggle to keep up with coursework, making it more difficult for them to succeed next to those students from Group 2.

Limited Access to Supplemental Resources

Students from Group 1 will have fewer opportunities to use online educational tools and tutorials, putting them at a disadvantage in their learning experience.

Limited College Preparadness

Students in Group 1 will lack access to online platforms necessary for standardized test preparation and college applications, both of which are essentials for teens.

Challenges With Online Platforms

Students from Group 1 will struggle to access online school resources, which are essential for revision and test preparations, putting them at a disadvantage.

Parent Engagement

Parents from Group 1 will have limited access to online school communication platforms, which are normally useful to support their children's learning at home.

The Homework Gap...

Assignments and homework have become immensely internet-dependent, which puts Group 1 students at a disadvantage.

https://www.aecf.org/blog/pandemic-learning-loss-impacting-young-peoples-futures

Measure 4: Ability to complete homework based on location

Measure 2: Ability to complete homework based on access to the internet

The digital divide is among these long-lasting impacts: “Dis­par­i­ties in inter­net access exac­er­bat­ed exist­ing edu­ca­tion­al inequities for Black and Brown com­mu­ni­ties.” However, this time, the focus is not on annual income but rather on different races and ethnicities. The study mentioned in the previous section also compiled data for different backgrounds.

The Change In These Impacts Following Covid

The pandemic had many long-lasting impacts on education in the US

Experts say that students now have years of learning loss and must catch up with what they have missed to be successful in their adult lives.

Education during the pandemic wasn’t difficult solely because of the difficulties that come with online education. It was also challenging due to the lack of skills to navigate the learning software successfully.The digital divide is further emphasized here because individuals who have access to technology can equip themselves with these skills while those from lower-income households cannot access technology to improve themselves.

Difficulties Around Education During the Pandemic

With the pandemic, online education has become a major source of education, and the digital divide led to many educational inequalities.

Nearly 1/3 of youth from households with income less than 25k a year did not have access to a computer or the internet

Mismanagement on the government's side

Access to the internet was always more difficult for low-income households, but the impacts were never this prominent.

A Research Report: What was a gap is now a chasm: Remote schooling, the digital divide, and educational inequities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Change In These Impacts Following Covid

Proposed solution / Service proposal

Data From May 2020

The Change In These Impacts Following Covid

than African countries' average GDP per capita

29.3 times greater

The United States' average GDP per capita is approximately

The United States' average GDP per capita: $86,600

Africa in comparison to the US

African countries' average GDP per capita: $2,955

No access: 82%Access: 18%

No access: 89%Access: 11%

At least 20 million live in areas not covered by a mobile network

Teacher training does not include information and communications technology (ICT) skills

2021 Ibrahim Forum Report

Africa

The majority cannot benefit from these efforts because they lack access to a functional television. DIGITAL DIVIDE

In Kenya, EdTech utilizes digital platforms and tools to improve access to quality education.

CASE STUDY: Kenya and EdTech

DUE TO: POVERTY

In 2021, the median cost of an entry-level internet-enabled handset was more than 25.2 percent of the monthly gross domestic product per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2019, the average cost of one GB of mobile internet as a percentage of monthly per-capita Gross National Income (GNI) was 10.5 percent, 8.5 percent higher than the recommended target by the UN Broadband Commission.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2024/01/18/digital-transformation-drives-development-in-afe-afw-africa

250 million children were impacted by school closures.

COVID-19 and Education & Internet Access in Africa

100 million children were already out of school before the pandemic.

https://www.unicef.org/esa/press-releases/covid-19-catastrophe-for-children-in-sub-saharan-africa

"Their teacher called me totell me to buy a big phone [smartphone] for online teaching. I don’t have money to feed my family andI am struggling to make ends meet, how can I afford a phone and internet?"

“Many [students] don’t even have access toradios, let alone TVs. There will bediscrimination. It will not take all children into account.”

"There is a better plan for faster WiFi... But [my mom] said wecan’t afford it. Since the connection is not great, I have to prioritize some lessons over others.

“[My three children] join in the school’s online classes on my phone becausethe family has no computer."

- A teacher in Kenya

Africa

"None of the students have access tointernet-enabled smartphones... Digital Learning is not an option."

- A father in Nigeria

- A student in Morocco

- A teacher in Burkina Faso

- A mother in Nigeria

International agreements to stabilize broadband accessAchieving affordable internet access will require an investment of $100 billion. Such agreements would be mutually beneficial, considering that the digital divide is a universal problem.

Spread UNICEF's efforts UNICEF's program "Education Cannot Wait" aims to provide education to marginalized communities. Support from economically powerful countries can make these efforts more accessible.

Cheaper internet accessEncourage international internet service providers in Africa to offer internet access to specific education websites without using up the user's data balance.

Low-cost devices

Partner with big-tech companies, like Apple, to provide subsidized or donated technology

Proposed solutions for digital divide in education

Areas of healthcare where the effects of this divide are most include1) Telehealth2) Digital Literacy

Healthcare and the Digital Divide

The connection between healthcare and the digital divide is profound, as disparities in access to technology directly influence health outcomes and the equity of healthcare services.

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth

is the use of digital information and communication technologies to access health care services remotely and manage your health care.

Common Uses of Telehealth

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Virtual Visits

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Medical Advice

Globally, the effects of Covid on teleheath were also seen

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9035352/#sec6

In America, telehealth interactions grew 766% following the CDC declaring Covid an pandemic. (see graph)

Telehealth in the Age of COVID

In the years before the outbreak of Covid-19, telehealth was slowly growing. However, 2020 a rapid increase was seen.

Even in the three mentioned nations, telehealth is not always readily avaliable to those with low-income for numerous reasons that all tie back to effects of poverty and the digital divide.

How the Digital Divide Plays In

As telehealth is a fairly new practice in the healthcare field, countries such as the United States, China, and United Arab Emirates–countries considered as innovators in the technological field–have been the ones most able to reap the benefits of telehealth. However, most developng nations do not have the same means to effectively utilize telehealth for the good of their nations health.

https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/search/dataset/0037980

Reasons for Low Internet Access to Medium and Low Income Nations

Digital Literacy

Digitial Literacy

Digital literacy is a very vital aspect in all spheres but especially in the healthcare field as many who lack digital skills are not able to effectively utilize the technology that is needed for many healthcare systems.Especially as the world becomes more technologically advanced.

Exacerbates Societal Stigmas Around Poverty

Smaller Chances of Upward Mobility

Higher Medical Costs

How the Digital Divide in Healthcare Contributes to Poverty

Possible Solutions

Turn focus away from expanding telemedicine until all people have equal means to reap the benefits

Focus on initiatives that seek to rectify other issues that perpetrate the digital divide in the field of healthcare

Educate. Specificially on topics relating to digital literacy

The Digital Divide and Employment

Technology has become a necessity in today's workplace, and its prevalence extends to:

• Getting a job/getting

connected with employers

• Being a functioning employee

• Developping skills to ensure

future employment

66% of employers refuse to hire employees who lack AI proficiency or knowledge (Microsoft and LinkedIn study).

Online learning platforms (e.g. Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning) allow individuals to acquire new skills and certifications.

Some workplaces have transitioned to fully remote or hybrid schedules.

How are digital tools used in employment?

Job Searching

Online job postings on websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Handshake, or company websites are sometimes the only place t o hear about vacancies.

Remote Work

Skill Development

*AI Proficiency

of low-incomehouseholds

24%

of rural Americans

27%

of Americans

15%

Who is affected?

do not have access to high-speed internet (Pew Research Center)

do not have access to high-speed internet, compared to just 1% of those in urban areas.

do not have access to broadband internet.

Individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities may face additional barriers in accessing digital employment tools, especially if the platforms are not designed with accessibility in mind.

Individuals in rural areas may have limited access to reliable internet or may not be able to afford the cost of high-speed broadband, making it difficult to engage in the digital job market.

Older adults may face difficulties with digital literacy, which is also more widely taught in schools recently, meaning they struggle to navigate online job applications or virtual interviews.

Proposed solution / Service proposal

Low-Income Families

Many low-income households cannot afford the necessary technology, such as computers or smartphones, or the high-speed internet required for online job applications and remote work.

Rural Communities

Older Workers

People with Disabilities

The Effect of the Digital Divide on Employment Outcomes

Limited Job Access

Those without digital access may miss out on job opportunities altogether. Many employers now require online applications and use digital tools for screening.

Unemployment and Underemployment

Without the ability to access or use digital resources, job seekers may remain unemployed or underemployed, especially in industries that have become heavily digital, such as tech, finance, and professional services.

Skill Gaps

Individuals who lack access to digital education or online skills training may find themselves falling behind in acquiring the qualifications needed for higher-paying or in-demand jobs.

Group 2: Annual income more than $75k

Group 1: Annual income less than $30k

___________

Aim:To investigate the extent of the digital divide in different populations through various measures

Methodology:Interviews were conducted with both groups of individuals. They were either online or held by telephone.

Overall Impacts of Lack of Access to Technology on Employment

NORC AmeriSpeak Panel Study

Sample Group:1058 parents who belong to the panel and have a teen (13-17 ages) and 743 teens

Measure 1: High-speed internet connection at home in households with children aged 6-17

The majority of the population with an annual income of less than $30K doesn't have access to a high-speed internet connection at home. Meanwhile, the majority of the second group has access to a stable internet connection.This difference has implications for education...

Proposed Solution

Digital Literacy Class

Implement a government-initiated digital literacy class, focusing on public schools in lower-income neighborhoods.

Device Donation and Refurbishment Programs

Nonprofits, tech companies, and local governments can work together to provide refurbished or low-cost devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) to low-income families, students, and job seekers.

Embrace AI

Embrace AI in schools, teaching students how to use it ethically to make their studying and assignments more efficient.

Subsidized Tech Programs

Programs that offer subsidies or grants for individuals or households to buy technology.

Thank you

When you log into a web-based service or call a service that offers primary or urgent care, you're guided through many questions. The provider or nurse practitioner can prescribe drugs. Or they may suggest home care tips or more medical care.

https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1456718/online-doctor-consultations-worldwide-forecast

Annual number of users of online doctor consultations worldwide from 2017 to 2024 (in million users)

(https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-burundi)

A Look at Burundi

With an already lacking healthcare infrastrucure, and widespread diseases, a internet penetration of only 11.3 percent (as of 2024) greatly exacerbates the economic and health disparities in Burundi and many other developing countries.

(Health Policy and Technology Volume 11, Issue 4, December 2022)

ResultsOut of the 2,213 Nevadians surveyed, 9% reported that the cost of internet services as a barrier for telehealth access, 7.2% reported access to electronic devices as a barrier, and then 7.1% reported access to reliable and fast internet

Technological access barriers, telehealth use and health care visits in the early pandemic period

MethodsUsing Data from the 2020 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS). A total of 2,213 respondents completed survey that was later used my researchers to estimate the relationship between demographic characteristics, technological barriers and overall telehealth utilization.

Many clinics now use telemedicine to offer remote care. By offering these virtual visits, paitents can more easily and quickly see a health care provider or nurse via online video or phone chats, rather than waiting for an in-person appointment