Question 1 POE Q 1 1 Issues surrounding

Question 1 POE Q. 1. 1 Issues surrounding Access Jonathan Kandolo 13017703 DIGC 5110 DCGD 3

Issues Surrounding Access A socio-economic divide The digital divide – a divide in infrastructure The digital divide – a gender divide The digital divide – a divide in content The digital divide – a skill divide The digital divide – the universal access divide Digital divide in education • This divide is commonly associated with social-economic factors. (IIE 2016: 25). • As well as geo-demographic factors with regard to developed vs undeveloped countries. • Developed countries have advanced & up-to-date infrastructure compare to developing countries (IIE 2016: 25 • Therefore developing countries are limited to having broader and faster range of digital access due to outdated infrastructure (IIE 2016: 25) • According to a 2013 report, 23% of women are online in developing countries compare to 40% of women in developed (IIE 2016: 26) • The internet provides access to opportunities, job and education which can be used as a patform to empower women (IIE 2016: 26) • According to Dutton (2004)) 70% of website use the English language and that can affect digital access (IIE 2016: 26) • Computer/digital literacy is vital to the adoption of technology development (IIE 2016: 26). • A lack of computer knowledge or skill can hinder the lack of digital access due to socio-economic factors and personal factors as well (IIE 2016: 26). • This divide is associated with physcal disabilities that affect digital access due to the fact that the hardware or software don’t cater for disabled people (IIE 2016: 27) • This divide is associated with socio-economic factors, geo-demographic factors and skill factors since most people in developing countries don’t have quality education mainly to financial and infrastructure factors which leads to the lack of digital access.

How to assist the Government to solve issues around access • By sending a petition to local government to invest money to provide free wireless internet connections to the public. • Educate the public about digital access by creating and designing ad campaigns to spread the awareness. • Provide free computer lessons in impoverished communities.

Reference: Independent Institute of Education (2016). Digital Citizenship: Module Manual. 1 st edition. Johannesburg; IIE.