scholarly journals COVID-19, online teaching, and deepening digital divide in India

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swasti Vardhan Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Mobile Network ◽  
Spatial Distance ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
The Core ◽  
Network Availability ◽  
Use Of Technology

The higher education departments and bodies in India have been continuously advising on the intense use of technology for educating as the need of the hour when institutions are indefinitely shut off for COVID-19. But, I would differ on a point that in a digitally divided country like India such impulses may escalate the divide further. The regular discussions on the materiality of smartphone possession as the new mantra to bridge the digital divide in India failed to take note of its spatial and infrastructural dimensions in times of crisis. The letter views spatial distance from the core urban areas as the factor that determines the mobile network availability. In times of pandemic when the services are officially declared as deploring the divide gets intensified for students. Firstly, the failed attempts of a student to join online classes deprive her/his of parity vis-à-vis students having relatively better access to the internet. Secondly, coupled with the multiple apprehensions, this deprivation would add to her/his collapsing mental health.

Methodological approaches for Moscow urban agglomeration delimitation based on mobile network operators data

2019 ◽  
pp. 48-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Makhrova ◽  
R. A. Babkin
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Mobile Network ◽  
Suburban Area ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
The Core ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Moscow Agglomeration ◽  
New Variant ◽  
Economic Functioning ◽  
Mobile Network Operators

In the article, based on the methodology of determining the functional urban areas of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with the use of data from mobile operators about the localization of network users, the boundaries of the Moscow agglomeration are identified and it is spatial structure is analyzed using the approaches of the chrono-geography concept. The analysis showed the impossibility of using the OECD methodology without its adaptation to Russian conditions. For example, according to this technique, the entire territory of the “real city”, including the “sleeping areas” of Moscow and its satellite cities, falls into the core zone. At the same time, the suburban area extends to the territory of almost the entire Moscow region, going in many directions beyond its borders. The adapted version of the method of delimitation involves reducing the size of the core to the boundaries of the Moscow ring road with a corresponding decrease in the boundaries of the suburban area, which is consistent with the approaches and ideas developed in practice in Russia. Using the methodology of the chrono-geography concept, a model of “pulsating agglomeration” was developed. It is a new variant of studying and analyzing the dynamics of socio-economic functioning of agglomerations, taking into account the different time socio-economic rhythms of the Moscow agglomeration. As part of the agglomeration, “static” – constant throughout the year and “movable” – seasonal suburban areas were identified, which allowed to include in the analysis of “pulsation” not only the population of the structural elements of the agglomeration, but also its boundaries depending on the seasons.

scholarly journals Closing the Digital Divide in Low-Income Urban Communities: A Domestication Approach

10.28945/3885 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 117-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Kanyi Wamuyu
Keyword(s):  
Urban Communities ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Digital Inclusion ◽  
Marginalized Communities ◽  
Low Income Households

Aim/Purpose: Significant urban digital divide exists in Nairobi County where low income households lack digital literacy skills and do not have access to the internet. The study was undertaken as an intervention, designed to close the digital divide among low income households in Nairobi by introducing internet access using the domestication framework. Background: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have the potential to help reduce social inequality and have been hailed as critical to the achievement of the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs). Skills in use of ICTs have also become a prerequisite for almost all forms of employment and in accessing government services, hence, the need for digital inclusion for all. Methodology: In this research study, I employed a mixed methods approach to investigate the problem. This was achieved through a preliminary survey to collect data on the existence of urban digital divide in Nairobi and a contextual analysis of the internet domestication process among the eighteen selected case studies. Contribution: While there have been many studies on digital divide between Africa and the rest of the world, within the African continent, among genders and between rural and urban areas at national levels, there are few studies exploring urban digital divide and especially among the marginalized communities living in the low-income urban areas. Findings: Successful domestication of internet and related technologies was achieved among the selected households, and the households appreciated the benefits of having and using the internet for the first time. A number of factors that impede use of internet among the marginalized communities in Nairobi were also identified. Recommendations for Practitioners: In the study, I found that use of differentiated costs internet services targeting specific demographic groups is possible and that use of such a service could help the marginalized urban communities’ access the internet. Therefore, ISPs should offer special internet access packages for the low-income households. Recommendation for Researchers: In this research study, I found that the urban digital divide in Nairobi is an indication of social economic development problems. Therefore, researchers should carryout studies involving multipronged strategies to address the growing digital divide among the marginalized urban communities. Impact on Society: The absence of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) inclusion policy is a huge setback to the achievement of the SDGs in Kenya. Digital inclusion policies prioritizing digital literacy training, universal internet access and to elucidate the social-economic benefits of internet access for all Kenyans should be developed. Future Research: Future studies should explore ways of providing affordable mass internet access solutions among the residents of low-income communities and in eliminating the persistence urban digital divide in Kenya.

scholarly journals The use of technology for online classes during the global pandemic: Challenges encountered by the schoolteachers in Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-199
Author(s):  
Nadia Rehman ◽  
Wenlan Zhang ◽  
Mussarat Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Educational Activity ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Media

The lockdown after COVID-19 outbreak not only harmed the economy but also shut down all educational activity, resulting in a significant gap in learning and understanding among students worldwide. This mixed method study was conducted to know the media used by the teachers to teach online classes and challenges faced by the teachers' during online teaching in pandemic, which has hampered continued/online education due to interviews from the ten government teachers. Data was transcribed, coding was done, and five themes were analysed. The study showed that teachers mostly use WhatsApp and zoom meeting for online classes. Skype, Voov meeting and smart school is also use as a media for online teaching and learning purpose. Qualitative data revealed that teachers faced numerous problems during online classes, the biggest obstacle was the lack of electric power and low internet speed, along with that the parents and students’ non-serious behaviour also affects the online education system. along with that lack of proper online forum, adversely affect the students’ concepts, knowledge, and communication with their teachers while using the internet as a learning tool. Teachers are overburdened due to the large number of online classes being offered, affecting the quality of education.

scholarly journals Poverty and Digital Divide: A Study in Urban Poor Neighborhoods

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
Tri Mulyaningsih ◽  
Rutiana Wahyunengseh ◽  
Sri Hastjarjo
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Central Java ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Digital Diffusion

Literature suggests that the penetration of digital technology may create a digital divide, particularly for groups that lack resources and the capacity to access technology. This study is keen to examine the poverty and digital divide, particularly in urban poor areas. There are two research objectives. Firstly, to examine the digital diffusion and digital literacy within poor urban neighborhoods in the City of Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. Secondly, to understand the variation of digital diffusion and digital literacy across areas (with different levels of poverty), age groups, genders and occupations. The data is collected from surveys focused on measuring the access to information, digital diffusion and the use of technology among the poor. This study found that there is a digital divide problem among people in urban areas, especially among people with low incomes. Moreover, the diffusion is dominated by certain groups such as younger people and females. Furthermore, digital literacy among the poor is low. The policy implication is to improve access for digital diffusion and provide assistance to improve digital literacy skills.

scholarly journals Bridging Indonesia’s Digital Divide: Rural-Urban Linkages?

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aulia Hadi
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Information And Communication Technology ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Digital Skills ◽  
Information And Communication

While Indonesia is recorded as one of the greatest social media republics in the world, the gap of rural-urban internet access remains a great challenge. As reported in the 2016 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Indicators, the number of households with internet access in rural areas is nearly half of those in urban areas; 26.3% and 48.5% in a consecutive way. Rather than simply seeing the internet as a medium, this paper discusses the internet as material culture; therefore, it goes beyond the access and focuses on the ways people use the internet to define their culture. From this perspective, this paper draws the two levels of the digital divide of Indonesian rural-urban dwellers. Lack of motivation and limited material access due to social inequality is at the very base of the digital divide. Subsequently, digital skills and usage deepen the digital divide. While splitting people into either rural or urban categories often produces misleading policies, this paper proposes the rural-urban linkages to bridge the digital divide in Indonesia. The rural-urban linkages particularly incorporate the flow of people and information across space as well as the interconnection between sectors, such as agriculture and service.

scholarly journals A unified perspective on the adoption of online teaching in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Mittal ◽  
Archana Mantri ◽  
Urvashi Tandon ◽  
Yogesh K. Dwivedi
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Facilitative Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Before And After

Purpose The study aims to develop a theoretical model that highlights the determinants of the adoption of online teaching at the time of the outbreak of COVID-19. This study adopted a time-series analysis to understand the factors leading to the adoption of online teaching. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data were gathered from 222 university faculty members by using an online survey. In the first phase, data were collected from those faculty members who had no experience of conducting online classes but were supposed to adopt online teaching as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. After two weeks, a slightly modified questionnaire was forwarded to the same group of faculty members, who were conducting online classes to know their perception regarding the adoption and conduct of online teaching. Findings Both the proposed conceptual frameworks were investigated empirically through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Significant differences were found in the perceptions of faculty members regarding before and after conducting classes through online teaching. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by presenting and validating a theory-driven framework that accentuates the factors influencing online teaching during the outbreak of a pandemic. This research further extends the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology by introducing and validating three new constructs, namely: facilitative leadership, regulatory support and project team capability. Based on the findings, practical insights are provided to universities to facilitate adoption, acceptance and use of online teaching during a health-care emergency leading to campus lockdowns or the imposition of restrictions on the physical movement of people.

The Digital Divide and K-12 Student Computer Use

10.28945/2926 ◽  
2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Morgan ◽  
Craig A. VanLengen
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Limited Basis ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

The divide between those who have computer and Internet access and those who do not appears to be narrowing, however overall statistics may be misleading. Measures of computer availability in schools often include cases where computers are only available for administration or are available only on a very limited basis (Gootman, 2004). Access to a computer and the Internet outside of school helps to reinforce student learning and emphasize the importance of using technology. Recent U.S. statistics indicate that ethnic background and other demographic characteristics still have substantial impact on the availability and use of computers by students outside of the classroom. This paper examines recent census data to determine the impact of the household on student computer use outside of the classroom. Encouragingly, the findings of this study suggest that use of a computer at school substantially increases the chance that a student will use a computer outside of class. Additionally, this study suggests that computer use outside of the classroom is positively and significantly impacted by being in a household with adults who either use a computer at work or work in an industry where computers are extensively used.

Internet-based Online Higher Education in Nepal Amidst COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashis Acharya ◽  
Nabaraj Poudyal ◽  
Ganesh Lamichhane ◽  
Babita Aryal ◽  
Bibek Raj Bhattarai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Life ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Traditional Concept ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Online Higher Education ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
The Government

The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected all aspects of human life, with education, not an exception. In an attempt to stop the SARS-CoV-2 spreading like wildfire, the Government of Nepal has implemented nationwide lockdowns since March 24, 2020, that have enforced schools and universities to shut down. As a consequence, more than four hundred thousand students of various levels in higher education institutions (HEIs) are in a dilemma about restoring the situation. Several HEIs, nationwide, have leaped forward from the traditional concept of learning—limited within the boundary of the classroom—to choosing digital platforms as an alternative means of teaching because of the pandemic. For this research, the descriptive and inferential analysis was carried out to investigate the effects and challenges of learning via digital platforms during this pandemic. Data were collected from students and faculty at various levels of higher education and analyzed statistically with different factors using t-test and ANOVA, and variables were found to be approximately normally distributed. The study revealed that 70% of the respondents had access to the Internet, but 36% of the Internet accessed did not continue online classes due to unexpected disturbance in Internet and electrical connectivity. Likewise, 65% of students did not feel comfortable with online classes, and among attendees of online classes, 78% of students want to meet the instructor for a better understanding of course matters. According to the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model, three factors, such as institutional policy, internet access, and poverty, are found to be significant factors affecting the online higher education systems in Nepal. On the brighter side, this outbreak has brought ample opportunities to reform the conventional teaching-learning paradigm in Nepal.

Citizen Deliberation Online

2019 ◽  
pp. 689-712
Author(s):  
Patrícia Rossini ◽  
Jennifer Stromer-Galley
Keyword(s):  
Political Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
The Core ◽  
Political Conversation ◽  
Political Talk ◽  
Citizen Deliberation ◽  
The Impact

Political conversation is at the heart of democratic societies, and it is an important precursor of political engagement. As society has become intertwined with the communication infrastructure of the Internet, we need to understand its uses and the implications of those uses for democracy. This chapter provides an overview of the core topics of scholarly concern around online citizen deliberation, focusing on three key areas of research: the standards of quality of communication and the normative stance on citizen deliberation online; the impact and importance of digital platforms in structuring political talk; and the differences between formal and informal political talk spaces. After providing a critical review of these three major areas of research, we outline directions for future research on online citizen deliberation.

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