Article 1: Strategies For Overcoming The Digital Divide

From Digital Culture & Society

Topic Context Statement (because the wiki broke): As a valued institution meant to educate and prepare young people for their careers, it is crucial to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education and how pre-pandemic learners differ from those post and during.

Kumi-Yeboah, A., Kim, Y., & Armah, Y. E. (2023). Strategies for overcoming the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education institutions in Ghana. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(6), 1441–1462.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13356

https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjet.13356

Contents 1 Context 2 Overview 3 Strengths and Weaknesses 4 Assessment

[edit] Context

This article alerts about a widened digital divide, which could no longer be ignored as COVID-19 forced higher education onto virtual platforms. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the educational landscape witnessed a rapid and substantial shift towards online learning modalities, exposing underlying disparities in digital access and technological readiness among higher education institutions. The researchers of this study set out to not only observe these strategies but also to delve into the myriad experiences and challenges encountered by faculty and administrators in navigating this technological transformation. Guided by three focal research questions, the study probed into the nuanced descriptions of digital divide experiences and challenges faced by educators and administrators during the pandemic, as well as the innovative strategies devised to surmount these obstacles within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Employing a qualitative research design, interviews involving teaching faculty and from diverse public and private universities in Ghana. Through a meticulous thematic analysis, the researchers identified crucial categories that underpinned the strategies employed, including affordable Internet connectivity provisions, utilization of digital tools for hybrid and remote courses, establishment of information communication and technology platforms, and facilitation of professional development workshops aimed at enhancing digital skills and knowledge. Furthermore, the study contextualized its findings within a three-level model of the digital divide, elucidating challenges encompassing technological infrastructure within educational settings, educator proficiency in utilizing technology, and the potential for technology to empower students. By rigorously analyzing the experiences of Ghanaian universities, this study significantly contributes to the broader discourse on the digital divide prevalent in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering invaluable insights and paving the way for informed interventions to address these disparities.

[edit] Overview

The purpose of the study conducted by Yeboah et. al (2023) was to observe the strategies used by universities in Ghana to overcome the digital divide, as well as explore the experiences and challenges that came with experiencing education online. Three research questions guided their process: How do faculty and administrators at higher education describe the experiences and challenges of digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic? In what ways do faculty describe strategies they used to overcome the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic in HEIs? In what ways do higher education administrators describe strategies they used to overcome digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic? Data collection was conducted using a qualitative research design. The researchers conducted thirty-five semi-structured interviews with 25 teaching faculty and 10 administrators from two private and three public universities. These findings were analyzed via thematic analysis approach, making use of the following categories: provision of affordable Internet connectivity for students, faculty and staff, use of digital technologies and resources for hybrid and remote courses, creation of information communication and technology platforms for students, faculty and administrators, and provision of professional development workshops/trainings on digital skills and knowledge. These results were discussed with the three-level model of the existing digital divide, addressing challenges with technology in school infrastructure, individual use of technology by educators, and the degree to which students could be empowered by said technology. By analyzing the experiences of these universities in Ghana, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the digital divide issue during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education.

[edit] Strengths and Weaknesses

In terms of strengths, this study succeeded in answering each of its research questions. The found strategies for overcoming the digital divide included: finding multiple ways to communicate with students and parents (online survey, FaceTime, text messages), using different technologies to deliver instructions (Zoom, Skype, Google Suite, radio, television) and partnering with community organizations or companies for resources. They gathered several descriptions of the challenges and experiences that were faced, such as educators needing to adapt more flexible strategies, student devices with limited functionality for studies, a lack of constant Internet access, and infrastructural disadvantages between rural and urban communities. In terms of weaknesses, this study possesses a limited sample size, only interviewing 35 people from select universities. These 35 people consisted of 25 teaching faculty and 10 administrators. No students were interviewed, which represents a missing and arguably crucial perspective in their data collection about the digital divide. The researchers also admit that many potential interviewees were not available because of disruptions caused by the pandemic, and so they resorted to convenience sampling, which is inherently prone to including more bias than other sampling methods.

[edit] Assessment

This paper provides a glimpse into the issues the COVID-19 pandemic created in higher sub-Saharan African education. It showcases a digital divide within a specific cultural context. The researchers conclude by acknowledging some of the challenges and experiences faced in Ghana were unique to that locale, caused by existing factors within the country such as infrastructure. Their research questions were answered fully, and the qualitative research design employed throughout the process followed by a strong literature review was effective. Dividing data into specific challenges and sorting them by level of Ghana’s higher education institution was logical. However, one of the methods they used to answer these research questions may have only served to weaken their data from the start. The method in question is convenience sampling, which is known for resulting in biased results compared to other sampling methods. Not only that, but they also did not interview any students of Ghana, whose perspectives about their own struggles would likely have been further empowering to this research. Despite the paper’s limited scope and other limitations caused by researcher choices, Yeboah et. al (2023) conducted a balanced study that deepened understanding of the digital divide within the pandemic.

Jw21mx 22:30, 7 December 2023 (UTC)