The DIGITAL DIVIDE is the gap between those who have regular access to digital technology and those who haven't. In and other words, it is the gap between who are able to use technology to their own benefit and those who are not. That is the fact that certain parts of the population have substantially better opportunities to benefit from the new economy than other parts of the population.
The topic of Digital divide is worth discussing and studying. It is because it is an existing issue that is inevitable in our highly technology developed society. It has far-reaching effects on every people worldwide, no matter a richer or a poor one. When some of the families may have numbers of computers in one household, some may have no computer for each family. Problems would then be raised. Inequality of economic, social and technology development would worsen. The problems are complicated and diversified in many fields. They should be researched and remedy in every effort.
In our computerized society, Digital divide has close relationship with all of us. In my point of view, I think that we are experiencing with it and it is our social responsibility to have a keenly aware and realization on the issue. I hope my blog can arouse your attention in the gravity of the digital divide’s problems.
Reseach question
- Where can the issue of digital divide be found?
- Who/which groups of people are most likely to experience the digital divide?
- What are the problems created by digital divide and how they are caused?
- How severe the problems are?
- What can be done to remedy the situation?
Bibliography
Books
- “THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL LIFE”, Annual Review of Psychology, by John A. Bargh and Katelyn Y. A. McKenna
- It is recommendable that it provides lots of discussion about the relationship between the problem of digital divide and social life.
- "The internet for empowerment of minority and marginalized users", New Media and Society, by Mehra and Bharat
- It clarify the equality between the two main income group people clearly. - "Identity construction and self-presentation on personal homepages: Emancipatory potentials and reality constraints", Web Studies, by Cheung, Charles
- This looks difficult to read.
- “Gender and Computers : Understanding the Digital Divide”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, by Cooper and Weaver
- It is easy to read and it mainly concern about the digital divide’s consequence on gender.
Newspaper Articles 
- "The Digital Divide", South China Morning Post, by Peter Yu
- "The Great Divide", The Economic Times, India, byLV Sastry
- The view of Indian is really worthy to be regarded. - “Digital divide not yet conquered, Contra Costa Times”, Walnut Creek, Calif, by Andrew Becker
- “Digital divide widens”, China Post(Hong Kong edited), by Xinhua
- “Taiwan's Asustek launches compact, low-cost laptop”, Strait Times(Singapore), by Ong Hwee Hwee
- All of this articles and critics are reliable and critical. They are very useful to help understanding and realize the issue of digital divide better.
Links
- http://www.digitaldivide.net/search/index.php?Keyword=digital+divide
It is the Internet's largest community for educators, activists, policy makers and concerned citizens working to bridge the digital divide. - http://www.digitaldivide.org/dd/digitaldivide.html
It deeply discusses the urging problems of digital divide which emphasizing much on the closing of the Divide.
- http://www.ictefa.org/Index.html
It introduces an organization for remedying the problems created by digital divide - The Digital Alliance Foundation, which is a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to reducing human suffering by providing technological aid around the world. - http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/c/3/topics.asp
It provides detailed reports, projects and reasches of Digital Divide.
- http://www.ed.gov/Technology/digdiv.html
It shows the government contribution in bridging the digital divide.
- http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/bridging-digital-divide-eu-policies/article-132315
It provides detailed articles and discussion on different aspect of digital divide.
Key quotes
- New lives for old computers
Source: Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.
By Andrew Becker
2007-05-14
“With an eye toward bridging the digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who don't, Kaiser(a computer teacher) has taught a crew of about 10 students how to refurbish the old machines.”
"For several students it's their first computer ever," Kaiser said - Morphing Machines to Bridge the Digital divide
Source: The Economic Times, India
By Shelley Singh
2006-11-13
N Balakrishnan, associate director, “"There are three aspects to bridging the digital divide, the three Cs -- computer, connectivity and content. You have to get all three rights to increase penetration of computing devices.” - Taiwan's Asustek launches compact, low-cost laptop
Source: The Straits Times(Singapore)
By Ong Hwee Hwee, Taiwan Correspondent
2007-10-17
'We hope the launch of the Eee PC will enable more children and people around the world to gain access to computers,' company chairman Jonney Shih said at the launch yesterday.
- The Digital Divide: Unequal Access And Unequal Effects
Source:“Gender and Computers : Understanding the Digital Divide”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
By Cooper and Weaver
(p.11) 2003
Socioeconomic Status: “Of Americans with incomes of under $15,000, 12.7% have computers in their homes. The percentages climb steadily with income such that families who earn more than $75,000 annually have a 77.7% likelihood of owning a computer.”
- Quotes about Technology & Digital DivideSource: http://changingthepresent.org/technology_and_digital_divide/quotes
By Bill Clinton
"It is dangerously destabilizing to have half the world on the cutting edge of technology while the other half struggles on the bare edge of survival."
Visual materials
- An illustration of the teaching method of Arithmetic Classroom as it appears on the computer screen.
The program is designed to teach students how to divide and multiply fractions. Its deeper goal is to have students understand that fractions are instances of the division of two numbers.
- “Gender and Computers : Understanding the Digital Divide”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, by Cooper and Weaver, (p20)
- An illustration of the teaching method of Demolition Division as it appears on the computer screen.
Student need to control the artillery battery and solve the division problem at the same time.
- “Gender and Computers : Understanding the Digital Divide”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, by Cooper and Weaver (p.21) - Model of individual student
An outline model depicting the key processes we think contribute to the digital divide.
- “Gender and Computers : Understanding the Digital Divide”, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, by Cooper and Weaver (p.111)
- The International Seed Federation (ISF) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization representing the seed industry. It serves as an international forum where issues of interest to the world seed industry are discussed aiming at narrowing the digital divide.
- http://www.worldseed.org/
- GNU/Linux is another advice to bridge the gap of digital divide. For example, the progarm of Schooling Africa's Resources that "NetDay South Africa has been sweeping through the country, setting up computer labs free of charge in schools that are on the leaner end of the digital divide..."
- http://www.linux.org/
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