The Digital Divide

What is the Digital Divide? (2-3 mins)
"Digital Divide is defined as the inequality between "have and "have nots" differentiated by dichotomous measures of access to or use of the new technologies- (DiMaggio, Hagittai)."

The digital divide is both a national and global issue.

(after you read each question ask the students their opinions)
It is not just about access to technolgies there are many other obstacles involving the digital divide. Some of which include:
1. Access to the internet physically( some people may not be able to physically access the internet due to location or a physical disability)
2. Lack of knowledge using technology(people are uneducated and or afraid of technology/internet since it is fairly new, this applies mostly to the elderly)
3. Content is not useable/understandable for everyone( there are language barriers/physical handicaps that keep people from using technology)

Global Issue- (10 mins)
http://shielddigital.com/economicsofsellingonline/2008/11/01/building-a-bridge-to-everywhere-%E2%80%93-closing-the-global-digital-divide
(compare figures 2 and 3 graphs from 2000-2008.)

Things to talk about- Change of digital divide between 2000-2008.

Some things you notice are:
1.Africa has always had the least internet users in the world. They have went from 1% in 2000 to 3% in 2008.
2. Europe used to be right behind North America (USA) in 2000 with 30% to 29%, but now we are behind them with only 17% internet to there users.
3. Asia has always been the leader in internet usage. They had 32% and keep climbing up to 40% in 2008.

Questions to discuss:
1. Why do you think Asia has and continues to be the leader in online users?
2. Why do you think we have fallen behind since 2000 when we used to be one of the leaders in internet usage?

National Issue- (12 mins)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10454133-94.html
view figure 9 there are two graphs

First graph discussion-
Things to notice-
1. Notice the age gap between internet users and how that has decreased from 2007
2. Notice the rural areas to urban area differences
3. Notice the umemployed to employed difference in usage

Questions-
1. Why has the age gap decreased?
2. Notice the employed to unemployed ratio hasn't changed, why?

Second graph disscussion
things to notice and discuss
1. Affordabilty and lack of interest have been the top 2 reasons for not using the internet and this hasn't changed, why?
2. The people having no computer or inadequate technology has risen, why?
3. People claiming to not have internet skills has also risen, why?

Education and the digital divide (5 mins)
(video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgIimMEronAEducation (3 mins)
(discuss the video) (2 mins)

Group activity (10 mins)
break into groups of 4-5 and discuss in your groups
1. What is the biggest problem that you have learned when regarding the digital divide? (3 mins)
2. Come up with a solution to this problem and explain to the class what you came up with (7 mins)

Some Solutions (5 mins)
1. It goes far beyond just providing people service and access, as we have learned one of the main reasons for not using the internet is lack of interest. we need to make people want to use the internet by making them more educated and less afraid/intimidated.
2. We also learned in this country its not about lack of avalibilty but more of a financial issue.
3. The content needs to be available and understandable for everyone. This means more handicap accessable content and also more content in more languages.
4. There needs to be training for individuals to gain more skills in using technology and the internet.
5. There needs to be more internet availablity in less fortunate countries and rural areas of this country. There is still a wide gap between rural and urban usage as we seen in the figure 9 graph.

(these are some things to think about/read and then ask the class what they think after)

(watch clip on the importance of bridging the digital divide in america)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCIB_vXUptY (2 mins)

Read the following paragraph

Class Project due 1 week from today (2-3 minutes to explain and answer questions)
I want you to experience first hand what it is like to not have the access to the internet and how it will affect you personally. I feel you will learn best by doing this rather than me just talking about it. For 1 week you will go without the internet. I know this will be hard, but I need you to really experience this first hand. Try and take this seriously, it's truely a learning experience. I want you to keep a journal each day of your challenges. Write down 5 things per day that not having the internet is disadvantaging you. Try to be specific in your examples because we are going to as a group a week from today talk about your journals in class and see what you had in common. I will be grading your journals seperately so if you are going to cheat you better at least put some thought into your answers and not all have the same answers or you will get points taken off. The point of this assignment is not to punish you, but to make you reflect and think. I understand this is not a fun assignment, but the digital divide is a problem that many of you have never experienced. This is a way for you to experience this. Any questions?

works cited:
(Deborah Fallows, 2004,) retrieved fromwww.pewinternet.org/reports/2004/the-internet-anddailylife/1-summaryoffindings.aspx

Building a Bridge to Everywhere-Closing The Global Digital Divide(November 1,2008) retrieved from
http://www.sheilddigital.com/economicsofsellingonline/2008/11/01/building-a-bridge-to-everywhere

(DiMaggio, Hargittai,2001) From The Digital Divide to Inequality: Studying Internet Usage as Penetration Increases, Sociology Deptartment Princeton University.

Powerpoint, Mellissa Thompson "Digital Divide"

A Digital Revolution for the World's Remotest Regions(Jan 25,2007) retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgIimMEronaA

Survey:40 Percent in U.S. Have No Broadband(Feb. 16,2010) retrieved from
http://www.newcnet.com/8301-1035_3-10454133.html

What is Digital Divide(April 06,2009) retrieved from: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCIB_vXupty