The Digital Divide
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The Digital Divide: How School Librarians can Support Digital Literacy Kathryn Justus
The Digital Divide
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The Digital Divide “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.” – John Dewey "In a country where we expect free Wi-Fi with our coffee, shouldn’t we have it in our schools?" – Barack Obama The digital divide can be defined as
While K-12 schools are often looked at as
“inequities of access to technology based on
social equalizers, gaps in access between
factors of income, education, race, and
schools, both in the availability and value
ethnicity” (O'Brien & Scharber, 2008, p.
they place on technology, have important
67). While the digital divide is an issue
implications for students in the 21st century.
worldwide and between nations, disparities
While at-home ICT access has
in access to information and communication
increased dramatically for students
technologies (ICTs) are becoming
throughout the past 15 years, students from
increasingly important to education in the
low-income households are still at a
United States. For example, in 2013 the
significant disadvantage compared to their
Pew Research Internet Project found that in
peers at higher socioeconomic levels.
a survey of 2400 teachers, 54% felt that their
Common Sense Media found that 46% of
students had sufficient access to digital tools
lower-income families have high-speed
at schools, while only 18% thought that
Internet access, compared with 86% of
sufficient access existed at home (Purcell, et
higher-income households. These
al). Hohlfeld, Ritzhaupt, Barron, and
differences extend to the meaningful use of
Kemker (2008) developed a framework for
devices; for example, 75% of higher-income
exploring the digital divide in schools by
parents have downloaded educational apps
looking at three distinct areas in the use of
for their children, while only 35% of lower-
technology: the level of technological
income parents have done the same
infrastructure, including hardware and
(Common Sense Media, 2013). This
internet, the amount that students and
highlights the important role that schools
teachers use technology for learning, and the
and educators play in combating the digital
degree to which technologies empower
divide, as students without access at home
students and make them ready for the world.
are less likely to have educational
The Digital Divide opportunities with technology if they are not
2 Challenges and Opportunities
afforded this at school. The digital divide also includes the
The digital divide presents a number
concept of digital inclusion, or the idea that
of issues for librarians, educators, students,
people need both access to and the skills to
and parents, both positive and negative. In
effectively utilize ICTs. In their Standards
order to provide opportunities for digital
for the 21st Century Learner, the American
learning for students on a fundamental level,
Association of School Librarians (AASL)
schools need sufficient technological
explain that “today’s students need to
infrastructure. However, as of 2013, only
develop information skills that will enable
39% of public schools had wireless access
them to use technology as an important tool
accessible to the entire school, and only 15%
for learning, both now and in the future” (p.
of school officials reported having sufficient
2). In addition, literacy has expanded to
network connectivity to meet their school’s
include things like digital, visual, and
current needs (Cohen & Livingston, 2013).
technological literacy, meaning that students
Schools without adequate funding to invest
without regular ICT access are at a
in broadband access will inevitably provide
disadvantage both at school and as future
their students with less digital learning
contributors to society (p. 3). To combat the
opportunities, and put students without
digital divide, school librarians have a
wireless access at home at a great
responsibility to facilitate access, empower
disadvantage. In addition, technological
their students and colleagues to use ICTs in
infrastructure is becoming increasingly
a meaningful way, and support lifelong
important to standardized testing. Student
learning and success through digital literacy.
assessments, in conjunction with the Common Core State Standards, are being developed by Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) for the 2014-2015 school year (Quillen, 2012). If students are in schools that cannot afford a sufficient amount of bandwidth experience connectivity issues during these assessments, it is likely to
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affect their outcomes and scores. For the
divide in education involves the quality of
2014-15 school year, it is estimated that the
technology integration and instruction that
average school will need 100 megabits per
students receive. In addition to having
second (Mbps) per 1,000 students. This is
lower levels of broadband access and
expected to increase to 1 gigabit per second
technological infrastructure, teachers in
(Gbps) by the 2017-18 school year (Patton).
lower-income areas have also been shown to
This means that funding the proper amounts
use significantly less ICTs in instruction
of bandwidth connectivity will become
(Hohlfeld et al, 2008). The reason for this is
increasingly expensive, and may create an
likely training and professional development
achievement gap for students and schools
opportunities. For example, 73% of teachers
that cannot afford this.
in higher income areas have received
Fortunately, this is an issue that the
training in technological integration,
federal government is moving to address,
compared to 60% of teachers in lower
presenting an opportunity for educators. In
income areas (Purcell et al, 2013). O’Brien
2013, President Barack Obama announced
and Scharber (2008) explain that the digital
the ConnectED initiative, which aims to
divide has, in some schools, been used as an
connect 99% of schools with high-speed
excuse to not use digital tools in instruction,
broadband internet access within the next
because “such learning and assignments are
five years. The E-Rate program, which
believed to further advantage students with
provides schools and libraries funding for
access to the tools at home.” However, this
Internet and telecommunications access
ultimately creates a larger divide between
through the Federal Communications
lower and higher socioeconomic districts,
Commission, is expected to increase funding
where students are granted greater and more
in order to allow schools to fully use digital
diverse learning opportunities online. This
technologies (Cohen & Livingston, 2013).
extends to the way technology is used in
This means that librarians and teachers will
schools; lower socioeconomic schools have
be able to create greater digital opportunities
been shown to use computers for “drill,”
for their students, making them ready for the
“practice,” and free-time activities, while
world no matter where they live or the
schools in higher socioeconomic areas use
amount of funding their school receives.
computers for higher-order thinking skills
Another challenge within the digital
and creating new products (Hohlfeld et al,
The Digital Divide 2008). This implies that educators and
4 - While students can get Internet access
students in lower-income areas may have a
through their mobile devices, many
lack of interest in technology due to lower
schools do not have the connectivity
engagement, which prevents them from
to support their use.
learning digital literacy. This presents a
- Mobile devices are increasingly
powerful opportunity for librarians, who can
powerful in the ways they can be
promote inquiry and student interest through
used. However, things like research
technology.
are extremely difficult to do on a
Finally, both a challenge and an opportunity can be found in the mobile access increasingly experienced by students. While minority students are typically
cellphone. - Access to the Internet does not equate to digital citizenship. - These tools are often banned at
considered those at a disadvantage from the
schools, making technology
digital divide, studies have shown that
instruction disconnected from
African American students play games,
students’ real lives.
watch videos, and use social networking at above twice the rate of their white peers
These are issues that school librarians are in
from their mobile devices (McCollum, 2011,
a prime position to address through their
p. 53). Cellphone ownership is also
position as technology leaders in their
increasing in lower-income households; for
schools.
example, 59% of teens from households earning $30,000 or less own cell phones and are more likely to use services like Twitter than students from higher income brackets (Li et al, 2014, p. 2). This shows that the digital divide is shifting and in a sense, shrinking, with students’ increasing engagement with their mobile devices. However, increased mobile connectivity highlights a number of issues that have not been resolved, such as:
The Digital Divide Impact and Implications for School Librarians
5 Librarians must also consider the implications of the fact that, due to the increased access afforded by mobile devices,
The digital divide is an issue that
students may have greater access to
grows more important every day as digital
technology and the Internet at home
literacy and technology skills become
compared to school (Li et al, 2014, p. 12).
increasingly vital to students’ success in the
Much of this comes from the very restrictive
world. Within the school library, librarians
social media and cellphone policies enacted
can play an important role in facilitating
by schools. This may be outdated and
access for their students who do not have it
dangerous, as these policies disconnect
otherwise, including loaning out devices,
students from their lives outside of school,
partnering with local public libraries, and
and detract from the relevance of instruction
increasing after-school hours. However, the
(Bernard, 2011). Librarians can play
major significance in the digital divide for
important roles advocating for the loosening
school librarians is how it affects the role
of such policies.
that they can play in supporting the productive and effective use of technology by the entire school community. While access, including sufficient broadband and infrastructure, is the first step, students in the 21st century need to be taught how to be actively involved in the Internet, and not just consumers of it. Sara Bernard (2011) refers to this as the need to be involved “with the vast global conversation that the Internet
In addition, restrictive social media
enables.” Librarians are in a unique position
and device policies take away from exciting
to teach students to be engaged with
opportunities like the ‘Bring Your Own
technology, and can do this by teaching
Device’ (BYOD) movement. BYOD is
students digital citizenship and how to
predicated on the idea that students can be
constructively use relevant tools from an
empowered by using their own devices,
early age.
including cellphones, in the learning process
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and in schools. This has the potential to
access can slowly be closed if students learn
save schools money on expensive
how to use digital tools in pertinent,
equipment, and in the process motivate
meaningful ways.
teachers and students to use more technology. While students without access to their own devices is a legitimate concern in this scenario, librarians can play a vital role in evaluating whether this sort of policy is appropriate for their schools. In addition, LaGarde and Johnson (2014) suggest that librarians can aid in BYOD efforts by giving priority to students with little or no access when loaning out digital devices, as well as
A Librarian’s Story
reaching out to families when advocating for digital literacy (p. 43). Finally, school librarians’ roles as
Michelle Davis, a school librarian just entering the field, was having a difficult
collaborators with general educators has
time adjusting to her new job at an urban
important implications for teaching digital
high school in Philadelphia, PA. Davis,
literacy, particularly when dealing with
while full of enthusiasm about the important
access gaps. Librarians, through co-
role school librarians play in schools,
teaching, can get teachers engaged with
particularly after her successful stint student
using technology in instruction in ways that
teaching in a suburban, middle class area,
are meaningful to students. By facilitating
was discouraged by the perceived lack of
professional development sessions,
engagement she saw in her new students.
librarians also have the ability to foster
Her colleagues had warned her repeatedly
digital understanding throughout the entire
that the students in this school were
school. Thus, librarians contribute to the
unmotivated, the administration, while eager
digital literacy ecosystem by not only
to use technology in the classroom, was not
facilitating access to technology, but by
willing to spend money on equipment or
helping to cultivate a school wide culture of
professional development, and that they
digital connectivity. Ultimately, the gap in
accepted this as the fate of any teacher
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working in a low socioeconomic area.
school’s attitude towards technology could
Nonetheless, Davis was surprised by the
help combat this lack of digital literacy. She
lack of interest students showed when she
resolved to make serious changes within the
collaborated with an earth science teacher
next year to combat this issue and ensure
for a research assignment. She had assumed
that students could have the same sorts of
that students would be excited to use the
positive engagements with technology as
school’s computer lab, a rare feat due to the
their peers in wealthier districts.
fact that 1200 students were sharing only 30
Recognizing the harm that the
computers. Davis was distressed, however,
schoolwide culture was inflicting to students
to continually reprimand students for using
and teachers, Davis began meeting with her
the computers to play games or for covertly
principal to revise the school’s cellphone
pulling out their cellphones to interact with
and social media policies. As it stood,
their peers on social media.
students were entirely banned from using
Several weeks later, she met with the
their cellphones on school property, and all
science teacher, who told her that he was
social media websites were filtered on the
very disappointed in the work that students
school’s computers. Davis advocated for
had submitted for their research
loosening these bans, in order to make
assignments. He suspected that it was
technology use in instruction more relevant
because students, who were generally from
and motivational to students. The principal
lower-income families, may not have access
agreed to a trial run where, for the next year,
to computers at home. Davis, realizing that
educators in the school could ask for
she was facing a community-wide issue
permission to use social media on a lesson-
larger than the school, decided to approach
by-lesson basis. He also agreed that, with
this by concentrating on the students
approval, students could use their own
themselves. Low funds and minimal student
devices when the appropriate technology in
engagement had demotivated teachers and
the computer lab was not available.
made them feel that their students were
Davis realized that the digital divide
incapable of using technology in a
between her school and wealthier districts
productive, worthwhile way. She had seen
was due to the way students and teachers
the way that students used their
were approaching technology, so she
smartphones, and sensed that a shift in the
decided to coordinate several professional
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development sessions for teachers to learn
technology. She notices that students are
how to use social media websites like
now excited when new tools are used in
Twitter and Instagram in instruction. She
classes, and find instruction more relevant to
also wanted to focus on students using
their lives outside of school. Teachers are
technology for production, not just
more comfortable using technology in their
consumption, and held sessions on web 2.0
lessons, and are significantly less fearful
tools like Animoto and Voicethread. In
about students’ access to and interest in
addition, Davis collaborated with several
technology. Davis is satisfied in knowing
teachers throughout the year to incorporate
that despite her school’s lack of funding, she
technology into their lessons in a way that
has helped lesson the gap between her
would be engaging to all.
students and those in more affluent areas.
After one year, Davis sees vast changes in her school’s attitude towards References American Association of School Librarians. (2009). Standards for the 21st Century Learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesan dstandards/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf Bell, M. A. (2010). What about our digital-divide have-nots? MultiMedia& Internet@Schools, 17(6), 24-27. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/792343534?accountid=14214 Bernard, S. (2011, Aug. 8). Crossing the digital divide: Bridges and barriers to digital inclusion. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-divide-technology-accessinclusion Cohen, P. & Livingston, J. (2013, Nov. 13). More than half of U.S. public schools don’t have adequate wireless access. The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/11/more-than-half-of-us-publicschools-dont-have-adequate-wireless-access/281410/ Common Sense Media. (2013). Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America 2013. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/zero-to-eight-childrensmedia-use-in-america Hohlfeld, T., Ritzhaupt, A., Barron, A., & Kemker, K. (2008). Examining the digital divide in K12 public schools: Four year trends for supporting ICT literacy in Florida. Computers &
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Education 51(4), pp. 1648-1663. LaGarde, J. & Johnson, D. (2014, June). Why do I need a library when I have one in my pocket? The teacher librarian’s role in 1:1/BYOD learning environments. Teacher Librarian 41(5), pp. 40-44. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/docview/1548230103?pqorigsite=summon Li, J., Snow, C., & White, C. (2014). Urban adolescent students and technology: Access, use, and interest in learning language and literacy. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, pp. 1-20. Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17501229.2014.882929#.VBX3qi5dXIo Livingstone, S. & Helsper, E. (2007). Gradations in digital inclusion: Children, young people, and the digital divide. New Media Society 9(4), pp. 671-696. McCollum, S. (2011). Getting past the 'digital divide'. The Education Digest, 77(2), 52 – 55. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/896476039?accountid=14214 O'Brien, D., & Scharber, C. (2008). Digital literacies go to school: Potholes and possibilities. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(1), 66-68. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/216918411?accountid=14214 Patton, C. (n.d.). Bandwidth surge. Scholastic Administrator. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3757597 Purcell, K., Heaps, A., Buchanan, K., & Friedrich, L. (2013, Feb. 28). How teachers are using technology at home and in their classrooms. Pew Research Internet Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/02/28/how-teachers-are-using-technology-at-home-andin-their-classrooms/ Quillen, I. (2012, Oct. 15). Bandwidth demands rise as schools move to Common Core. Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2012/10/17/01bandwidth.h06.html