Digital Divide

Transcript

1. Closing the Digital Divide Digital Advocacy Campaign Advocates: Clarissa Murillo Blaise Skelton Danny Andrade Jazmin Paredes
2. Background Research: What is the issue? For this project, the focus issue is the digital divide in education. Thousands of people in the U.S. are being excluded from the digital world. This exclusion whether voluntary or involuntary is known as the digital divide. The “digital divide" refers to the enlarging gap or fracture between the underprivileged members of society, most frequently affecting the poor, rural, and the handicapped section of the population who do not have access to the internet, quality internet connection, or even something to connect with, such a computer or another electronic device. While wealthier, middle-class Americans in urban and suburban areas have disproportionately better access. (Marchick, et al., 2000) However, the digital divide goes further than simply not having access to technology, it also has much to do with how it is used in disadvantaged schools, students, and even communities. (Reinhart, Thomas, & Toriskie, 2011) This issue is personally meaningful because as students and future educators we understand the importance of the use and power of technology in an educational setting. Over the last couple of weeks, many schools across the nation have forcefully transitioned to remote learning due to the threat of COVID 19 and have left the digitally disadvantaged to fend for themselves.
3. Background Research (Root Causes): Why is it an issue? Based on research, this is an issue because: • Inequities regarding supplies and resources exist in the classroom already, and the growing use of technology will only make this worse. The root of the Digital Divide is that equities are not being solved, they are only increasing. The newest form is the Digital Divide; affecting those who cannot afford or simply have access to digital devices or reliable internet. One author suggests that the start of the solution would be “to reignite a sense of urgency to tackle these inequities before we dub computers and the Internet, as many already have, the great equalizers”(Gorski, 2009). • This is an issue regarding education specifically since there is a growing problem known as ‘homework gap’. Research done by the ACT suggest that “because of the challenges that students in technology-deficient circumstances face when trying to do their homework. This [homework] gap continues to widen as teachers incorporate technology based learning into their daily curricula”(Moore, Vitale, and Stawinoga, 2018). • Currently, the world is facing a pandemic. Which is only widening the digital divide as schools and jobs transition online. Time describes this as a serious issue for those who “rely on K-12 schools for food and safety, and on colleges for housing and income from work-study jobs” and “against the country's stubborn digital divide , between those families who have internet access and those who do not”(Reilly, 2020).
4. Background Research: What is being done? To address the focus issue, the following things are being done: Pre COVID-19 • Comcast, has a comprehensive, nationwide program to address the digital divide by offering low-cost, high-speed internet service to the home, access to affordable computers and training to low-income students and families. (News Bites, 2015) • Coder Dojo is an Educational Program that is fun and FREE computer-coding club where young people can learn how to develop websites, web apps, games and more. (Ranaivo, 2015) • Senate introduced the Digital Equity Act to help bridge the digital divide across the country (States News Service, 2020) Post COVID-19 • CA, Governor Newsom announced a partnership with Google. Google will be donating Chromebooks and 100,000 hotspots to help bridge the digital divide (States News Service, 2020). • Major internet, mobile carrier companies are providing free internet for students otherwise can’t connect the the world wide web. Internet providers include Comcast, Charter, Cox, Spectrum, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon among others. (Castaneda, 2020)
5. Background Research: What should/could be done? Things that should/could be done to address the focus issue include: • First provide device access and internet among those who need them. (Moore, 2018); • Then ensure that all students have easy access to the applications they need for school-related activities via mobile technology.(Moore, 2018); and • Lastly ensure that teachers are well prepared because their preparation in technology use or lack of can minimize or magnify the divide. (Beinhart, 2011).
6. Target Audience(s) • Allies The allies include teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members. • Influentials The influentials include government officials, local leaders, and city officials. • Opponents The opponents include those who benefit from internet sales such as AT&T and those whom the issue just does not affect such as the wealthier counterparts. • Neutrals The neutrals are those who are unaware of the issue or just simply do not find it a significant enough of a problem to make such major changes for. These tend to be more middle-class families who have these essential services and often take them for granted. The digital Divide advocacy campaign we are conducting is speaking to allies, influentials, and neutrals in order to bring about change. The allies are those supporting the cause and with the combined force are greater than the individual. The influentials are those who are capable of bringing about change and in this case government officials. The neutrals are those unaware or undecided and in need of the information in order to be swayed. The most likely to be moved by the content are those who are unaware of the issue at hand and who only needed the information to make the logical decision that we should push for equity in terms of internet access. The leverage and access to people who can make the change or lead the change are government officials and local leaders or as city officials. The change is being blocked by various factors which include those who benefit from internet sales, the large-scale change required, and money. The change would require massive change at many levels not only infrastructure wise but logistics and planning. We are trying to bring attention to the issue and give accurate information to help people feel confident in voting for free internet access for all as a necessity and civil right.
7. Advocacy Goal The goal of this social media advocacy campaign is to: Engage active allies, persuade passive allies, and convince neurals of the severity of the issue and the need for immediate action to facilitate change. Bringing attention to the issue and joining in on spreading the word is the realistic goal of this campaign. Bringing awareness to different people in a variety of ways to help promote change. https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/advocacy_toolkit_en_0.pdf
8. Accountability The success or effectiveness of this social media advocacy campaign will be judged by the following: • Do the posts contain relevant and accurate information? • Are people viewing or liking the posts? • Are the tags relevant to the topic and issues regarding the Digital Divide? • Are the posts intriguing enough for someone to stop and read? • Is it an engaging post? (Not just a block of text without color or substance) As contributors to this social media campaign, we must be able to create our own posts that are effective at catching the attention of the viewer enough to read the information provided and have is be accurate and relevant. This is how we will remain accountable to our own posts.
9. This social media campaign message is: To end the digital divide by ensuring and providing if necessary access to internet and technology such as tablets or laptops. Then ensuring that both teachers and students are well prepared to make use of technology. Message and Branding Decisions Branding Elements: For our social media campaign we focused a lot of information and facts and displaying them on the posts. Our branding was to engage a viewer with bright colors and possibly a quick fact to keep their interest and explain elements of the digital divide.
10. Editorial Calendar
11. Clarissa Murillo - Instagram Posts: Campaign Documentation
12. Campaign Documentation Cont.
13. Campaign Documentation Cont.
14. Campaign Documentation Cont.
15. Campaign Documentation Cont.
16. Campaign Documentation Cont.
17. Campaign Documentation Cont.
18. Campaign Documentation Cont.
19. Campaign Documentation Cont.
20. Campaign Document ation Cont. Campaign Documentation Cont.
21. Campaign Document ation Cont. Campaign Documentation Cont.
22. Campaign Documentation Cont. Infographic The infographic below was chosen to be reused from https://charmainepu.wordpress.com/category/digital- divide/ because it fit the criteria and represents all data and information neccesary for a basic understanfding of the digital divide.
23. Campaign Documentation Cont.
24. Campaign Documentation Cont. Call to Action Graphics:
25. Campaign Documentation Cont.
26. Campaign Documentation Cont.
27. Campaign Documentation Cont.
28. Campaign Documentation Cont.
29. Post-campaign assessment and reflection Did you meet your goals? • I felt that we succeeded in getting across different platforms and getting the attention of other students, teachers, and the LS department. Some of our posts were reposted by the LS instagram and other posts were getting likes from different california educators.
30. Post-campaign assessment and reflection What would you change for the next campaign? • I would schedule posts in advance using the calendar in order to have more of a gap between posts. • I would possibly post on an account that has a bigger following so that more people can view the information given on the posts. • I am not sure that we created a sense of urgency with our campaign, so maybe researching how to create a sense of urgency that will lead to people wanting to help find a solution for this issue.
31. References Castaneda, V. (2020, March 20). Spectrum and other providers offer free internet for students at home. Los Angeles, California, United States of America. Comcast foundation grants over $100,000 to california state PTA in support of digital literacy curriculum for parents. (2015, May 02). News Bites US - NASDAQ Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.library2.csumb. edu:2248/docview/1677409134?accountid= 10355 Gorski, P. C. (2009, May). Fairfax. https://journals-sagepub-com.library2.csumb .edu:2248/doi/pdf/10.1177/00420859083187 12 GOVERNOR NEWSOM ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT BETWEEN TEACHERS, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES AND SCHOOL SYSTEM MANAGEMENT TO SUPPORT STUDENT INSTRUCTION DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK. (2020, April 1). States News Service, p. NA. Retrieved from https://link-gale-com.library2.csumb.edu:224 8/apps/doc/A619184740/AONE?u=csumb_ main&sid=AONE&xid=476a20d2 Moore. R., Vitale, D., Stawinoga, N., & ACT Center for Equity in Learning. (2018). The Digital Divide and Educational Equity: A look at students with very limited access to electronic devices at home. Insights in Education and Work. In ACT, Inc.
32. References Romm, T. (March 2020). The Washington Post. ‘It shouldn’t take a pandemic’: Coronavirus exposes Internet inequality among U.S. students as schools close their doors. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology /2020/03/16/schools-internet-inequality-coro navirus/ Samms, G. (April 2020). Forbes. As Cities Face COVID-19, The Digital Divide Becomes More Acute. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pikeresearch/2 020/04/02/as-cities-face-covid-19-the-digital- divide-becomes-more-acute/#6a6e9b6458c 5 SENATOR MURRAY DEMANDS EXPANDED INTERNET ACCESS FOR LOW-INCOME AMERICANS THROUGHOUT COVID-19 CRISIS. (2020, April 2). States News Service, p. NA. Retrieved from https://link-gale-com.library2.csumb.edu:224 8/apps/doc/A619371139/AONE?u=csumb_ main&sid=AONE&xid=fa1fd10e Woolley, Sattiraju, and Moritz. (March 2020). Bloomberg. U.S. Schools Trying to Teach Online Highlight a Digital Divide. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/20 20-03-26/covid-19-school-closures-reveal-di sparity-in-access-to-internet