Digital Divide during Covid-19

DIGITAL DIVIDE DURING COVID-19

Impact on High School Students Academically

  • Many students faced struggles during COVID-19 in various areas:

    • Health issues affecting mental and physical health.

    • Connection issues due to lack of internet access.

    • School disruptions due to the shift to online learning.

    • Work challenges amid economic changes.

Personal Reflection

  • Noticed significant effects on students under 18, particularly younger family members.

    • Concern sparked due to a brother’s difficulties during his high school graduation.

    • Raises questions about the impact on high school students’ education and preparedness for the workforce.

    • Highlights the disparity between students with resources (internet, tutors, devices) and those without, especially in minority communities.

Academic Scores and the Digital Divide

  • Explores how the digital divide correlates with students' academic performance.

Understanding the Digital Divide

  • Definition: The gap between tech-savvy individuals and those lacking digital literacy.

  • Factors Influencing the Divide:

    • Digital Literacy and Skills: Variability in competency using digital tools.

    • Socioeconomic Factors: The digital divide worsens with economic disparities, including income and education level.

    • Demographic Differences: Age, gender, and ethnicity contribute to discrepancies in access to technology.

    • Access to Digital Technologies: A significant gap exists between those with and without access to devices and the internet.

Socioeconomic Differences as a Primary Cause

  • Wealth disparity is a major contributor to the digital divide.

    • Individuals with higher income often have better access to technology and internet resources.

    • Reference: Digital Responsibility highlights this divide (pg. 2).

Impacts in Semi-Rural Schools

  • Georgia Semi-Rural School Study: Research indicates significant digital access issues based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES).

    • Students in Black and Hispanic households face greater technological obstacles, influencing academic performance.

    • Lack of connectivity and technology leads to poorer academic outcomes.

    • 2022 study by Ashta, Weingart, and Gazmararian supports these findings.

Urban School Districts’ Strategies

  • Some urban schools distributed hotspots or Chromebooks to assist economically disadvantaged students.

    • Semi-rural areas often lack connections to broader society, limiting technology access.

    • Reference: Hollenbeck and Nesbitt (2023, pg. 2) highlights these findings.

Nationwide Impact Analysis

  • Understanding America Survey: Conducted from April 2020 to March 2021.

    • Analyzed K-12 education access for families during the pandemic.

    • Sample included approximately 1,450 households with school-age children.

    • Findings reveal 39% of the lowest income group (earning < $25,000/year) faced connectivity issues, compared to only 3% in the highest income group (earning > $150,000/year).

    • Economic lower status correlates with failing grades and challenges in meeting educational needs.

    • Wealthier parents reported greater capacity to help with schoolwork (13-22% higher likelihood).

Conclusion

  • Key Question: How did the digital divide affect high school students academically?

  • The foremost cause of the digital divide relates to socioeconomic status, particularly affecting students in semi-rural areas and throughout the U.S. during COVID-19.

  • Resulted in declining academic scores, prominently among minority groups.

Works Cited

  • Ashta, J. K., Weingart, R., & Gazmararian, J. A. (2023). Impact of COVID-19 on education experiences in semi-rural Georgia. Journal of School Health, 93(4), 257–265.

  • Haderlein, S. K., et al. (2021). Disparities in educational access in the time of COVID. AERA Open, 7.

  • Hollenbeck, J. E., & Nesbitt, B.-M. (2023). COVID-19, eLearning, and the digital divide. The Hoosier Science Teacher, 46(1), 12–15.

  • Li, S., & Li, E. (2021). Impact of digital divide on education amid COVID-19. Communications in Computer and Information Science.

  • Digital Responsibility. Causes of the digital divide.