A2 Jacob Wisnesky
A2 Jacob Wisnesky
Last modified by Hal Eden on 2010/08/20 11:06
Digital Divide
There is no single, definitive, universally accepted, and indisputable definition of the digital divide. In general, however, it refers to a gap between people who have access to technology and those who do not. While this gap is often perceived as a lack of physical access to technology, it may be extended to consider a lack of worthwhile access or interaction with technology due to other factors. Common factors include (but are by no means limited to) disabilities that cause difficulty in using technology, or even the simple lack of technical skill or education necessary to effectively use technology.
All of the causes of the digital divide can be debated. Some causes, however, are fairly obvious and can easily be examined:
Income: Individuals or families with lower incomes may not be able to afford technology. Low income may also contribute to a lack of reliable transportation, which can stifle the ability to use publicly available technology. Specialized training and education for technical skills is often too expensive for low income individuals.
Location: There can be great variety in the kind of technology one has access to depending on where one lives. Broadband internet, public wireless, and other convenient and useful technologies may be readily available in big cities. Individuals living far away from cities or out in the country may often not have access to these technologies. Broadband internet, considered essential by many, is often required to experience the internet to the fullest. Lack of a high bandwidth connection can prevent many services and opportunities that others take for granted.
Combinations of factors: Location and income are in some cases closely related. People living in third world countries not only suffer from a lack of income, but their locations can often prove problematic for technology due to social, geographical, or political reasons.
Other factors, such as race, gender, and even religion can also play into the digital divide. In many cases, the exact impact of such factors is not as obvious as it is with income or location. A specific dimension of the Digital Divide: I've chosen to focus on an aspect of the digital divide known to some as the "empowerment divide." Even when people do have access to technology and the many opportunities it provides, not everyone chooses to take advantage. This gap between those who embrace the technology and use it to its full potential and those who have the technology but are content to let it go unused is the empowerment divide. This lack of "empowerment" manifests itself in many ways. Participation inequality, where a small portion of a userbase provides the vast majority of contributions and content in a community, is a key example of the empowerment divide.
Why is the empowerment divide so important? Even if people do have access to technology, they still have to take it upon themselves to utilize it. Having technology but not using it is really not much different from not having it at all. Even if all other aspects of the digital divide are solved, the victory may be hollow if people don't embrace their opportunities. In regards to DSS, the empowerment divide is strongly person-centric, and people are a key aspect of DSS.
This part of the assignment asks how to overcome this empowerment divide, but it may not be something that can be completely solved. Certainly, people can be helped and encouraged to take advantage of what they've been given. Education about how to utilize technology can encourage people to get involved. Ultimately, though, real motivation is often solely intrinsic. In the end, the power to overcome this divide is dependent upon the end user's desire to demand more and empower himself.
CLever Project The CLever Project seeks to overcome many aspects of the digital divide. In the video we were shown, the project helped bring technology to someone who lacked technical expertise (the mother), and someone whose disability may have made it difficult to embrace technology designed for people without disabilities (the daughter). The mother, who probably lacked the technical expertise to write software, was able to easily create a program to assist her daughter. Her daughter, who lacked the ability to use technology designed for people without disabilities, was able to use the program her mother created for her. These are both examples of trying to bridge the digital divide gap; both cases brought technology to people otherwise unable to use it. Sources: "Digital divide." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Sep 2008, 02:25 UTC. 8 Sep 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digital_divide&oldid=236368857>. Nielsen, Jakob. "Digital Divide: The Three Stages." Useit.com: usable information technology. 20 Nov. 2006. 7 Sept. 2008 http://www.useit.com/alertbox/digital-divide.html. Arrison, Sonja. "What digital divide?" Cnet news. 13 Mar. 2002. 7 Sept. 2008 http://news.cnet.com/2010-1071-858537.html.
Other factors, such as race, gender, and even religion can also play into the digital divide. In many cases, the exact impact of such factors is not as obvious as it is with income or location. A specific dimension of the Digital Divide: I've chosen to focus on an aspect of the digital divide known to some as the "empowerment divide." Even when people do have access to technology and the many opportunities it provides, not everyone chooses to take advantage. This gap between those who embrace the technology and use it to its full potential and those who have the technology but are content to let it go unused is the empowerment divide. This lack of "empowerment" manifests itself in many ways. Participation inequality, where a small portion of a userbase provides the vast majority of contributions and content in a community, is a key example of the empowerment divide.
Why is the empowerment divide so important? Even if people do have access to technology, they still have to take it upon themselves to utilize it. Having technology but not using it is really not much different from not having it at all. Even if all other aspects of the digital divide are solved, the victory may be hollow if people don't embrace their opportunities. In regards to DSS, the empowerment divide is strongly person-centric, and people are a key aspect of DSS.
This part of the assignment asks how to overcome this empowerment divide, but it may not be something that can be completely solved. Certainly, people can be helped and encouraged to take advantage of what they've been given. Education about how to utilize technology can encourage people to get involved. Ultimately, though, real motivation is often solely intrinsic. In the end, the power to overcome this divide is dependent upon the end user's desire to demand more and empower himself.
CLever Project The CLever Project seeks to overcome many aspects of the digital divide. In the video we were shown, the project helped bring technology to someone who lacked technical expertise (the mother), and someone whose disability may have made it difficult to embrace technology designed for people without disabilities (the daughter). The mother, who probably lacked the technical expertise to write software, was able to easily create a program to assist her daughter. Her daughter, who lacked the ability to use technology designed for people without disabilities, was able to use the program her mother created for her. These are both examples of trying to bridge the digital divide gap; both cases brought technology to people otherwise unable to use it. Sources: "Digital divide." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Sep 2008, 02:25 UTC. 8 Sep 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digital_divide&oldid=236368857>. Nielsen, Jakob. "Digital Divide: The Three Stages." Useit.com: usable information technology. 20 Nov. 2006. 7 Sept. 2008 http://www.useit.com/alertbox/digital-divide.html. Arrison, Sonja. "What digital divide?" Cnet news. 13 Mar. 2002. 7 Sept. 2008 http://news.cnet.com/2010-1071-858537.html.
