The three main factors that contribute to the digital divide are geographic region, race and socioeconomic class (Riba). As discussed in the Issue Overview these three categories can sometimes be closely related but nevertheless still impact how students learn and at the rate in which they do so. Education is slowly being transformed into a more creative process that focuses on answering questions rather then memorizing answers; becoming involved in their learning with hands on and interactive lessons. Because of this, technology has come to the forefront of our education system and is being integrated wherever possible. When looking at the first factor of the digital divide, geographic region, we must note that this is applies both nationally and internationally (Riba). Geography plays a key role in the divide because of how the Internet is accessed. It is much more common to have Internet access if you live in or near a city because of the dense population opposed to someone who lives further away and cannot access the Internet from their house. Although a majority of schools in the United States have some kind of Internet access on their campus, when a student lives in a rural community, technology cannot always be carried over into the home. This same concept can be seen on a global scale as well. For example, when you compare the countries China and the United States to the rest of the world, the U.S has close to 80 Internet users per 100 people while China and the world are at 30 and 25 people respectively (World Development Indicators). With such a wide range in Internet users, people are exposed to different skill sets and limits room for growth.
Race and socioeconomic class are similarly related in regards to the digital divide in a sense that they both influence where different groups of people live and what schools they attend. Being apart of a community that has school’s who receive funding towards having or updating technology can greatly change a students educational path because of the early experience they will receive using computers and other pieces of technology. When students have early access to technology in school and at home, they bring more experience with them into higher education or the workplace and are seen as “better qualified”. As any educator (or future educator) knows, it’s not about where a student starts but how they finish. This brings up the question, is this a fair way to gauge individuals’ potential?
