This case study explored how the digital divide in educational technology access and usage evolved due to the instructional shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital divide has been researched for decades, yet inequities continue to exist in the technological experiences of varying school settings. Some scholars suggested that the…

Disruptions in education may exacerbate digital inequality among college student groups. This study examined differences in and relationships between digital access, use, and connectivity, digital skills and engagement, and academic motivation among first-generation (learners whose parents/guardians have no college education) and…

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on global community and threatened the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the transformative promise of the SDGs of "leaving no one behind". This paper analysed different experiences of higher and tertiary education students in Zimbabwe as they adapt, adjust and embrace…

The study explored how the quality of Internet access influenced students' online learning experiences during the pandemic-imposed large-scale adoption of online education. Drawing upon digital inequality research, we analyzed data collected from 894 higher education international students in China. We found that both access devices and Internet…

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted education systems worldwide, exacerbating longstanding educational disparities, particularly concerning technology access and utilization. This qualitative study explores amplified technology inequities in rural New Mexico education, capturing students' experiences through the lens of teachers. Using a…

Broadband is not equally accessible among students despite its increasing importance to education. We investigate the relationship between broadband and housing policy by joining two measures of broadband access with Depression-era redlining maps that classified neighborhoods based in part on racist and classist beliefs. We find that despite…

Access to higher education has been one of the critical areas of concern in South Africa, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Corona-virus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought the systemic cleavages into sharp relief, with 'access' and subsequent 'success' emerging as an important variable. Availability of digital facilities…

Broadband is not equally accessible among students despite its increasing importance to education. We investigate the relationship between broadband and housing policy by joining two measures of broadband access with Depression-era redlining maps that classified neighborhoods based in part on racist and classist beliefs. We find that despite…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the digital divide revealing an expanse of inequity among students who had access to the internet, personal devices, and parental support during remote learning and those who did not. Framed with the theoretical lens of equity literacy, this paper details the results of a survey completed by 56 Minnesota district…

After the announcement of a national lockdown by the South African state in March 2020, university students and lecturers had to conduct learning activities online. In countries where reliable information and communications technologies exist, this transition was relatively smooth. Students were able to learn using internet-based online learning…

The digital divide and digital equity have long been a concern for educators, and public schools. In 2020 when the COVID-19 global pandemic swept across the country, public schools closed for in person classes and moved to a new paradigm of online only classes, issues of digital equity and the digital divide became a critical focus for families…

In a world where toddlers seamlessly transition from building with blocks to swiping on screens, the intertwining of early childhood and technology becomes inevitable. Beyond the buzzes, beeps, and pixels lies an intricate landscape of norms, rights, and responsibilities, just as complex and crucial as those in the physical world. Digital literacy…

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of digital connectivity for learning--while revealing serious inequities in access to broadband and computing devices. For the 2021-22 school year, California has focused on getting as many students as possible back to the classroom. But digital access at home remains essential. As digital tools for…

The author argues that providing students with access to resources--without the necessary supports to make full use of that access--creates educational inequity.