Technology and The Digital Divide

*Note: I asked ChatGPT to assist me in writing this post. Anything taken from ChatGPT has been underlined. Also, I ran my finished product through to keep my writing concise, as I rambled a lot in this one!*

Surprise surprise, another difficult topic! My initial vote on this one was an easy “agree,” and I was honestly shocked when I saw that most of my classmates disagreed with this notion. I really believe that digital tools and platforms provide opportunities that were once out of reach for so many individuals. However, many believe that technology can actually widen existing gaps by privileging those who already have access, skills, and resources. Does technology create a more tech-quitable society, or does it reinforce inequality in new ways? 

Sarada and Chi opened up by outlining a number of ways technology supports individuals. The use of AI can reduce costs, digital tools can provide marginalized communities access to resources, government apps can make provide individuals access when they may not be able to get into an office, assistive tools create a more inclusive environment, and of course there are now many free online learning platforms to support everyone. 

Reducing Cost

We can’t deny that the use of AI can help lower the cost for many goods and services that are essential for us. Forbes paints a picture of a world where improved access to education can help people become healthier and potentially help them “… lift themselves out of poverty and deprivation on a societal scale.” (Marr, 2024) What a world that would be! The options to receive an education outside of the traditional classroom setting provides an even wider range of individuals with access. People can still receive or upgrade their education while working and supporting themselves and families; while this isn’t total equity, I would certainly say that it is progress.

Improvements in Healthcare

Not to mention the benefits of AI when it comes to healthcare. Yes, we still have a shortage in healthcare employees (which has nothing to do with the digital divide), but using AI can help individuals like myself determine if they need to go to see the doctor or not. Just this week, after seeing multiple doctors over the last 3 years for a painful skin rash, I went to a new doctor and we both used AI to determine the most likely cause. From here, my doctor was able to prescribe me a more effective medication (which works!), so I likely won’t have to return for this issue again. In this example, I like to think that using the tools at our disposal helped my doctor identify the cause and resolve the issue more efficiently, saving time and appointments for individuals with more emergent needs.

Assistive Tools

The many tools available thanks to technology give individuals with a variety of learning needs the opportunity to participate in education and schooling. This article from ALSO makes an excellent point by saying that assistive technology “… helps to break down barriers that students with disabilities have in expressing themselves; and in demonstrating their knowledge, effort, and creativity. This benefits both kids with and without disabilities in that it better prepares all of them to live in a world that’s more diverse, innovative, and compassionate towards the needs of others.” (2025) 

Equity and the Digital Divide

Disagreeing with this notion were Jillian and Danielle, who also presented many compelling arguments in their opening video. I appreciated that they started by giving a clear overview of the differences between equity and equality and what is meant by the term digital divide.

Let’s speak quickly to equity before getting into the digital divide itself. Equity is a term I heard often during my undergrad, and it’s something I work hard to explain to my students. Equality means treating everyone the same, whereas equity means giving people what they need — which may differ — in order to achieve a specific outcome or goal. In education, this could mean providing students with assistive technology, extra time, specialized seating, etc. Technology is a powerful tool that educators can use to create more equitable learning environments. Speech-to-text software, adaptive practice, and AI tutors are just a few examples.

The digital divide, as described in an article from the Georgetown Security Studies Review, is “the disparity between those with access to modern information and communication technologies (ICT) and those without.” In other words, there is not equitable access to technology for digital learning. Many communities lack access to high-speed internet (or internet at all), computers and smartphones, or the knowledge to use these tools. One point I hadn’t considered before the debate is that “the unequal distribution of digital content and information can cause serious digital inequity in education.” (Liu et al., 2024) It’s a vicious cycle: lack of access to technology leads to less and less content and fewer learning opportunities for those in the same situation.

Tech Deepening the Divide

The Forbes article also raises the issue of job security and redundancy for the economically disadvantaged, noting that “the jobs most at risk from automation tend to be lower-income jobs. Frequently cited examples include call center workers, delivery drivers and data entry clerks.” (Marr, 2024) How many jobs are at risk, you ask? Marr cites a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research that claims AI risks “up to eight million UK job losses with low-skilled worst hit.” I hadn’t considered that “the harmful impact of AI and automation being concentrated in less developed or more economically disadvantaged countries and regions, where a higher proportion of the workforce is in low-skilled jobs.” (Marr, 2024)

Potential, or just Progress for Some?

There were many interesting and impactful discussion points that arose during the open debate portion of this class. Danielle and Jillian made a powerful statement: although digital tech has potential, potential does not mean progress for all. This made me curious about just how many Canadians lack access to the internet. I decided to do a little digging on the Government of Canada’s Innovation, Science and Economic Development page. As of 2022, 93.5% of Canadians have access to high-speed internet, with that percentage expected to reach 98% in 2026 and 100% by 2030. 

Image from: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/high-speed-internet-canada/en

The same website includes a high-speed internet access dashboard that lets users check when specific communities will be connected. Can we do better? Yes, but in my mind, progress is happening, and that matters.

Is there still a digital divide? Yes. Is there room for growth? Of course… there always will be. But I want to give a shout-out to our communities and how much they do to try to fill that gap. Across the country, there are many locations offering free Wi-Fi access, as well as many training and employment programs that provide access to devices for education, job application, or housing needs. I worked for an employment program that assists at-risk community members for 3 summers (2009-2012), where we provided free computer training along with access to devices, internet, printing, faxing, and email. 

After this class debate, I also looked into Saskatchewan’s library system and was pleased to see that while many libraries require a library card to access computers, patrons can request a guest pass from the front desk if they don’t have one.

Concluding Thoughts…

Ever the optimist, I do continue to believe that technology has and will continue to lead us to a more equitable society. It’s not perfect, and it likely never will be, but we are on the right path. Chi made a great point when she said that the lack of access in some of our communities is because of distribution issues and not because of the technology itself. As this continues to improve, though, I do believe that our society is more equitable with technology than it was without.