Digitization has changed how we communicate, access services, and the extent of technology present in our lives. Ever since the internet emerged, we have witnessed a new reality among people: those who have access to technology and the internet, and those who don't. Although the digital divide was not caused by the pandemic, it was definitely exacerbated by it.
During the global health crisis, many problems transpired in our society in every field, with a significant impact on education. While technology helped us bridge physical distance, many people faced challenges because of poor or no internet connection, doubled by a lack of modern devices demanded by remote learning.
Besides all this, teachers and students faced additional challenges trying to adapt to the reality of online education and minimize the impact of poor or no edtech skills on the learning process.
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The pandemic has uncovered the issues we need to fix, especially the importance of a stable internet connection and technology in all major domains: health, education, social services, and employment.
While we have managed to adjust to the novelty of the situation on the go, we now need real solutions to cater to the needs of each individual, which will serve society as a whole.
In education, most students benefited from different forms of online schooling, which helped maintain learning as an essential life activity. However, two problematic situations emerged: some people lacked internet connection or devices, and many didn't have the necessary skills to use technology efficiently.
While teachers and students had in large numbers the support they needed to implement online learning solutions, people from low-income families have faced and are still facing the difficulties caused by the disparities in the so-called equality of chances.
The internet and technology cannot be considered a commodity anymore. They should be available to everyone regardless of their social background, ensuring the right to benefit from the same basic services as higher-income households.
The pandemic has opened our eyes to new ways of interacting, learning, and accessing services and has highlighted how much improvement is needed in every domain. Nonetheless, providing internet access and developing the necessary skills to use technology are more stringent than ever and are needed for:
Technology has to be an equalizer and help narrow the digital divide.
Now that we have experienced the benefits and drawbacks of technology and the internet in times of a pandemic, we should use what we've learned to improve our future as a society. We have to consider some solutions that are not out of reach and make some changes:
Read more: What’s next? Lessons from the lockdown on traditional education
Read more: 4 Examples of the best digital access initiatives
Read more: 6 Practical strategies for teaching across the digital divide
It's up to us as a society to tackle the digital divide and find long-term solutions for everyone in times of great reliance on the internet and technology. A digitally-savvy society benefits both individuals, in terms of personal development opportunities and higher life quality, and communities and the entire country, in terms of productivity and reliability.