In the previous sections we have championed the benefits of ICT but there are also some challenges associated with ICT, or more accurately, lack of ICT! Many national ICT in Education policies attempt to address one obvious downside of ICT roll out in education: what happens to those who do NOT have access to ICT? Educational technology, it is argued, if not distributed fairly, can exaggerate the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'. Keep in mind that 'have-nots' can be defined by socio-economic group, by gender, by age etc. Those who have no or poor access to ICT are immediately disadvantaged compared to those who do. This is called the Digital Divide debate, and is something education policy writers want to avoid. To understand the argument watch the video below.
The reading above demonstrates that tackling the digital divide is not only for people within the education ministry but that you can play a role too! Use the forum below to discuss the following: 'How can I ensure that I don't perpetuate the issue of unequal access among my students? How might I help those with poor access within my own community?' Brainstorm some strategies with others in your class.
