Digital Divide Ethics

Digital Divide and Its Ethics

Introduction

Digital divide is one of the important iternational issues in information technology. It effects the nations that suffer from it negatively, much more like the saying goes: adding more pain to the injury. Which means that not only is the country having a digital divide facing poorness but also the poorness is increasing due to lack of technology! However, digital divide must be defined well so it becomes easier to understand. Also, the relating ethics to digital divide wil be discussed. Another issue to look at is the role of education to digital divide. Lastly, regular solutions and eductional ones will be provided to address the digital divide.

Definition and Related Ethics

Reynolds

Some of these are regular solution and educational ones. Regular solutions include reducing the cost of technology to third world countries, using smartphones, getting donations from rich countries in the form of money and new or used hardware and software. Some third world country can afford to buy technology equipment if it were cheap enough. Therefore the price of technology shuld be reduced to bridge the digital divide. Smartphones are smart devices they are almost like a self-contained computer except for the keyboard and mouse. The touch screen replaces the keyboard and mouse needs in smartphones. So, a person can almost do most of the work from his/her smartphone. They can also lend it to other people to use it for their needs. This brings another concept into play which is the group use of a single technological device, in other words sharing the technology use. Finally, poor countries need different types of donations not just money. They need old/new hardware and software to install and use. For example, United Arab Emirates (UAE) once replaced all of their government PCs then they repacked the older systems and donated them to some African

Some of them are rotational education. Where three schools rotate the use of the same hardware to all students. For example, three schools, primary, middle and secondary share the same building with the technological equipment but over three different time slots like 8am to 12pm, 12pm to 4pm, and 4pm to 8pm. Another solution is to use satellite to transfer pre-recorded lectures from the first world to the third world. Of course, some rich countries, organization or individuals must donate the required equipment and staff to implmenet this method. Also, the educators must be trained to use it. Lastly, the use of internet in education, in other words free online learning. There are sites such as Coursera, Udemy, and Khan Academy that offer free high quality online education to any person living anywhere. However, an internet conenction and a computer is still required to use those sites. Some of these sites offer lectures about Science, Technology, Electronics, and Math (STEM) to all students. Learning such classes will help third world students bridge the digital divide gap.

Conclusion

This paper presented digital divide definitions and the role of education in it. Also, some normal and learning solutions were offered to overcome the digital divide. Yet digital divide remains a big international issue to be researched and handled by all nations. The United Nations (UN) should