With Digital Equity, Access is Just the Beginning When implementing efforts to improve digital equity for learning, providing access to technology tools and software is often the priority. However, technological access only scratches the surface. In order for all students to truly experience high quality digital learning, solutions should be human centered and fully address the multifaceted challenges that stem from the digital divide in learning.
By Beth Holland and Hali Larkins
UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL ACCESS
ACTIONS TOWARD PROVIDING ACCESS
According to a recent Common Sense, Boston Consulting Group and Southern Education Foundation report, three critical factors drive the digital divide: affordability, availability, and adoption.
In the midst of shifts to remote and hybrid learning environments, this context significantly impacts students’ potential to access high-quality learning experiences.
Up to 60% of students do not have access because of cost, particularly in urban areas with larger populations of Black and Latino students. Lack of availability disproportionately impacts the rural South, immigrant communities, andindigenous populations leaving up to another 25% disconnected. Finally, up to 40% of students may live in areas with available and affordable access but they do not adopt the technology because of language barriers, housing insecurity, undocumented status, or lack of familiarity.
At the end of last spring, Common Sense and BCG conducted a study to examine the extent to which students could access remote learning. Their analysis determined that 15-16 million students (approximately 30% of the public school population) did not have sufficient high speed internet, and nine million of those students had neither access nor a computer or tablet. Since that time, school leaders, policy makers, and advocacy organizations have worked to increase access to remote learning. While 20-40% more students have been connected this fall, over 12 million still cannot access learning.
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