Participation and The Digital Divide by Ash Day https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide 21/10/2017 en-us 2017-10-21 00:42:05 UTC 2024-10-15 02:18:57 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Growing.png In an ever-expanding digital world, one would think that every Australian would be able to access affordable technology and reliable Internet but that is unfortunately inaccurate. According to Bentley (2014), one in five Australians do not have access to the Internet; this is due to a combination of factors such as low socio-economic status, ethnicity and living in isolated rural areas. This inability for certain Australians to participate in the digital world is referred to as ‘the digital divide’. ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229842 2017-10-21 00:43:32 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229842 Although the digital divide is significantly impacting rural students and students of other minorities, some stress that it is, in fact, closing. Barr (2014) states “there is a 12-percentage point difference between Urban (84%) and rural (72%) Australians with a home broadband Internet connection”. ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229864 2017-10-21 00:44:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229864 Even with the closing of the digital divide, others worry that there is a risk of the divide becoming greater as more Australians become expectant of digital technologies in other people’s daily lives. Ewing (2016) believes that one of the problems that students currently face, in regards to learning, are teachers assuming their students have adequate access to the Internet and setting homework according to this idea; even though broadband is not yet evenly spread throughout Australia. ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229905 2017-10-21 00:45:11 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229905 Schools and teachers need to understand the impact the digital divide can have on their students and should encourage them to participate in the digital world. Schools need to be proactive in introducing technology to their students; teachers implementing technology in the classroom will go a long way in developing a student’s digital understanding. Johnson (2015) suggests that teachers also need to be mindful of the digital divide and to not assume all students have access to technology or the internet. Teachers should set homework so it does not rely on internet research or digital activities in order for students to complete it and should rather be a reflection upon the weekly learnings. ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229964 2017-10-21 00:46:45 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229964 ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229991 2017-10-21 00:47:15 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199229991 References ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199230045 - Barr, P.N. (2014, October 6). The digital divide is narrowing but more needs to be done. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/the-digital-divide-is-narrowing-but-more-needs-to-be-done-25994
- Bentley, P. (2014, July 3). Lack of affordable broadband creating ‘digital divide’. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-02/bridging-the-digital-divide/5566644
- Curtin, Dr.J. (2001, August 7). A Digital Divide in Rural and Regional Australia? Retrieved from https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Publications_Archive/CIB/cib0102/02CIB01

]]> 2017-10-21 00:48:38 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199230045 ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199230142 - Ewing, S. (2016, February 25). Australia’s digital divide is narrowing, but getting deeper. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/australias-digital-divide-is-narrowing-but-getting-deeper-55232 

]]> 2017-10-21 00:50:58 UTC https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199230142 ashday773 https://padlet.com/ashday773/_participation_and_digital_divide/wish/199230164 - ICTlogy .(2010). [Image]. Digital Divide. Retrieved from http://ictlogy.net/category/digital-divide/page/2/
- Johnson, D. (2015, February). Power Up!/Helping to Close the Digital Divide. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb15/vol72/num05/Helping-to-Close-the-Digital-Divide.aspx
-Pittsburgh Today. (2017). [Image]. Retrieved from http://pittsburghtoday.org/news/bridging-digital-divide/ 
- The Business Journal. (2017). [Image]. Digital Divide Cuts Deep in Mahoning Valley. Retrieved from http://businessjournaldaily.com/digital-divide-cuts-deep-in-mahoning-valley/
- University of Queensland Australia .(2013). [Image]. The Digital Divide. Retrieved from https://www.business.uq.edu.au/momentum/digital-divide
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