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On the Digital Divide
On the Digital Divide
Like most things that are predicated on the concept of having or obtaining something, the digital divide is one of the biggest inequalities that we as digital citizens can experience at the moment. The digital divide, per the definition of Katie Terrell Hanna from techtarget.com, is what refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology (ICT), and those that don't or have restricted access. Because of this, people who are in areas geographically limited are unable to be able to connect with the internet and the digital world at large. Due to inflated prices, local restrictions, and self-interests, the digital divide we face grows larger every day.
A big example of the digital divide is how some areas in the Philippines still don’t have access to even the most recent forms of technology like computers that aren’t first or second-generation. During online classes in the beginning and amidst the pandemic, in the Philippines alone, it was shown how some learners could not keep up with the pace and conditions needed to conduct productive online classes. Because they lacked the proper tools needed, they could not pass the requirements asked of them due to their financial situations and quality of life which in turn led to this downturn in performance.
Learners were not the only ones affected as teachers too suffered from a lack of proper tools and devices needed to effectively teach learners in all areas of education. Yes, some are luckier than others, but the overwhelming number of complaints from learners all across the nation made it clear that the digital divide is a glaring issue that runs rampant not only in the Philippines but the rest of the world. Both physical and digital.
In the Philippines, the availability and recency of devices remain a problem as most citizens end up using things that are outdated which therefore leads them to have fewer features of what is needed now in the modern era.
The best solution to the digital divide right now is for the government to lead more digital and computer literacy drives and/or programs to help strengthen the literacy of our countrymen as well as more directives to give everybody access to the digital world in a way that does not cut corners, is accessible to all, generation-friendly (friendly to the older generations who may not be as literate in technology), and upholds everybody's human rights to education because education is not only found in physical books.
In the digital age, education has been vastly expanded by the use of the internet and other media that spring from it. To deny the people a proper education is a violation of human rights. So, it is highly beneficial that everybody has a right to access the internet and all of its contents unrestricted.
To conclude, the digital divide must be addressed through sharp and organized means, it is not something that should be taken lightly as it is one of the issues that threatens literacy and has a chance of violating the rights of others to live productive and meaningful lives.
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