Technology and Education #3 – Access to Devices and the Internet

As previously stated in my first two civic issues posts, there is a steeply growing demand for the use of technological devices and online platforms and communication in educational settings. This has been exacerbated tremendously by the Covid-19 pandemic and remote learning. Although the use of technology in education is very beneficial in allowing students access to their education during these difficult times, it becomes an issue when not every student has access to either devices (such as laptops or tablets) or the internet. According to Forbes, 87% of families in America have internet-enabled devices, which means more than 1 out of every 10 kids does not have access to a device on which they can do their schoolwork. In addition, although the number of students with access to devices is still pretty high, only 73% of families actually have access to the internet. That means almost one fourth of students in America do not have the means to be able to access online school materials, communicate with their teachers and classmates, and most importantly during the pandemic, attend class via zoom or other platforms. This creates a growing divide between students who do and do not have access to technology for their education, allowing those who do to learn and thrive while causing those who do not to fall severely behind.

In this educational divide between students, those affected by not having access to devices or the internet are mostly lower income families. This creates a huge problem because students coming from a low income family are already at a disadvantage in having their needs met, and when they do not have adequate access to their education, they can fall behind. This, in turn, does not help those students to break the cycle of poverty because they are less likely to succeed in school and pursue higher level education that could help them to obtain more high-paying jobs and, in turn, provide for their families. So, a lack of access to education for lower income students just perpetuates and widens the socioeconomic gap in America.

In addition, many children of racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by a lack of access to technology and the internet in education. According to Forbes, 27% of Native American students, 19% of African American students, and 17% of Hispanic students either have no access or only dial-up access to the internet in their homes, while only 7% of white students and 3% of Asian American students do not have internet access. This is clearly not proportional to the American population and demonstrates that racial minorities are less likely to have access to the internet, preventing these students from being able to be as successful in their education.

Besides those from lower income families or from racial or ethnic minorities, another group of students who are at a disadvantage in their education due to a lack of internet access is those living in more remote or rural areas. Many rural areas throughout the United States are too distant from larger cities and towns with internet networks to be able to connect, which can be detrimental to children’s education when it is reliant on an internet connection. For example, my aunt is an elementary teacher in middle-of-nowhere Ohio. She described how difficult it was to teach remotely during the pandemic because several of her students’ homes are too remote and they do not have a reliable, high speed internet connection to be able to keep up with zoom classes and accessing online school materials. These students, in many cases, then fell behind and missed a critical part of their learning, which could negatively affect their educational success in the future.

The issues regarding a lack of access to technological devices and high speed internet connections have especially come to light amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and remote learning, leading to several proposed solutions. One such solution is 1:1 device programs implemented in schools, providing a tablet or laptop to each student in order to ensure that they have equal access to devices to be able to complete their schoolwork. This is especially beneficial for lower income students who may not have the means to purchase an electronic device. One challenge regarding this, however, is that not all school districts have the funding necessary to be able to provide these devices, which, again, is detrimental to poorer areas. In addition, many organizations stepped up during the pandemic to donate devices to students in need, partnering with computer companies or implementing programs to recycle used devices to provide to lower income students. For example, the Andrew Hicks foundation, which I was a part of in high school, implemented such a program at the beginning of the pandemic by collecting used computers, refurbishing them, and providing them to students in the city of Chester, PA, where access to technology is lacking.

A solution proposed to address the issue of internet access for students is “universal connectivity” (Forbes), which would implement high-speed internet as basic community infrastructure. This would allow students in many town and city communities equal access to the internet in order to be able to access educational materials, reducing the gap between students of higher and lower income. However, implementing community-wide internet would also cost a lot, requiring sufficient funds to do so. In addition, this does not address the issue of students living in more remote or rural areas who would not be living in a closer community like this that has internet connectivity; it would be extremely difficult to address every inch of America in terms of internet connectivity. One possible solution to this problem is to have more flexible educational platforms, providing offline or downloadable materials to be able to keep up with schoolwork. However, this still doesn’t allow students to communicate with teachers and be present for remote zoom classes to receive direct instruction by teachers.

As you can see, there are many working pieces regarding accessibility of technological devices and the internet for educational purposes, disproportionately affecting students of lower income families, those living in remote areas, and many of racial and ethnic minorities, winding the educational gap in America. However, this issue has glaringly come to the surface during the demands of the Covid-19 pandemic in recent years, driving awareness and the necessity for adequate solutions in order to ensure every student is able to succeed.

References:

Addressing The Digital Divide In Education: Technology And Internet Access For Students In Underserved Communities (forbes.com)

Unequal Access to Technology Prevents Educational Equity – Giving Compass

internet-access-home.png (610×451) (thedailyviz.com)

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k12-diversity-title-image_tcm7-233438.jpg (740×380) (apa.org)