Digital Divide and Education

The Digital Divide and Education

• The pandemic has increased reliance on technology for education.
• 76% of parents report children are learning online at least part-time.
• Teachers face challenges in creating engaging online classrooms.
• Many students lack internet access, putting them at risk of falling into the digital divide.

The Digital Divide

• A digital divide has existed since the late 90s/early 2000s between those with and without technology access.
• Sal Khan is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, which offers free online lessons in math, science, and humanities.
• Approximately 30% of American families lack high-quality internet access and suitable devices.
• Affected communities are often more rural and have fewer white residents.
• Native and Indigenous Americans experience broadband access limitations at a rate four times higher than the general population.
• Pipelines can prevent running water and phone lines.

Cornelia Yellowman's Experience

• Cornelia Yellowman lives in Montezuma Creek, Utah, near the Navajo Reservation.
• Her family identifies as Diné (Navajo).
• Cornelia works outside the home due to a lack of Wi-Fi, despite the risk of exposure during the pandemic.
• Her daughter Kylie was unable to attend preschool.
• Cornelia worries about her children growing up without internet access due to her own experience with bullying.
• Educational disparities can start as early as two to three years old, impacting a child's future.
• Digital literacy is essential now.
• Cornelia studies Business Management online and often completes coursework in her job's parking lot at midnight because of lack of internet at home.

Addressing and Overcoming the Divide

• The estimated immediate cost to close the digital divide for minority kids is around $7 billion, less than 1% of the National Defense budget.
• Efforts have been made by philanthropists, school districts, and corporations to improve access, but a nationwide systemic solution is lacking.
• In the summer of 2020, Waterford.org partnered with the Navajo Nation to provide free laptops and internet hotspots to families.
• A generation of students is expected to experience higher dropout rates and lower test scores due to the repercussions of the pandemic.

The Importance of Digital Access

• Digital technology should be considered a necessary human right.
• Target supports PBS and aims to assist families.
• Target prioritizes the health and safety of its team members and supports communities through the Target Foundation.
• PBS American Portrait is a storytelling project.
• Terra, from PBS Digital Studios, offers science shows.

Explore the digital divide's impact on education, highlighting disparities in technology access. The pandemic has increased reliance on online learning. Many students lack internet access, especially in rural communities and among Native Americans, exacerbating educational inequalities.