Preview

Bridging the Gap, the Digital Divide Essay Example

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1254 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Bridging the Gap, the Digital Divide Essay Example
Bridging the gap

Technology is an essential part of our world today. In developed countries, the use of technology is engraved in people from childhood. Unfortunately this is not the case in most developing countries. Egypt stands out as a clear example of a country, with technological disadvantages causing a gap between the well educated, privileged sector of society and the remaining majority, which is illiterate and poor. This gap is scientifically known as a” Digital divide.” Meaning that basically the poor end up socially the same and sometimes poorer by not knowing the appropriate and sufficient basics of using computer technology and internet, while on the other hand the richer people seem to have the edge due to having prior The reasons for such a gap are related to poverty, and technology being costly; as well illiteracy since having the equipment and not knowing its proper use is useless. So whether it’s a problem resulting from poverty or illiteracy, it’s evident they are both connected. The digital divide remains a social problem more than a financial or technological issue, since computers and technology are available, but are not being used correctly by most poor people because they have not been taught correctly from an early age due to financial disadvantages caused by the countries standing economical situation. To Bridge the digital divide in Egypt, actions must be taken to increase availability and use of technology, especially for the underprivileged people of society.
There are numerous reasons for the digital divide being in Egypt. A major factor causing the digital divide in Egypt is poor education and lack of emphasis on technology and computer skills in schools. According to Mark Warschauer, a Professor at the university of California, problems in Egyptian schools “ Include large class sizes, poorly trained teachers with low wages and status; and a centralized, test driven curriculum focusing on rote memorization of unimportant

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Introduction to Digital Divide The term ‘Digital Divide’ when initially coined mainly referred to the differences between various nations and communities and their access to computer and the internet. Over the years the term has widened in terms of its meaning and now its meaning could be interpreted as the differences in the distribution of digital technologies like television, radio, and mobile telephony throughout the world (Unwin and De Bastion, 2009). The focus of this paper is on Bangladesh and we will look into the numerous factors that has lead to the digital divide. We will also emphasize how the digital divide has impacted the various aspects of the country including the socio-economic climate. Background Bangladesh emerged on the world map on 16th December 1971 after the liberation war against Pakistan. It is a Democratic Republic. Bangladesh is situated on the southern parts of Asia bordered by India in north and west, Myanmar in the east and the Bay of Bengal in the south. The total area of Bangladesh is 143,998 sq km (Central Intelligence Agency, July 2012), 94th largest in the world populated by 161,083,804 people (C I A, July 2012) 8th most populated in the world with population density at 1118.65 persons/sq km. Information and Communication Technologies in Bangladesh The Internet was introduced comparatively very late in Bangladesh at 1966 and even by 2004 it was nowhere in the global broadband map (Dwivedi, Khan and Papazafeiropoulou, 2006). During these times the poverty in Bangladesh was…

    • 2203 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The digital divide is considered the gap between those who are technologically inclined and those who aren’t. The internet has many uses and can simplify the way many everyday tasks are carried out. There are different points-of-view of how this affects our society and how the divide is gauged as well as how to bridge the divide internationally.…

    • 1309 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Digital Nation - Essay

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the PBS documentary “Digital Nation,” producers Rachel Dretzin and Douglas Rushkoff analyze the pros and cons of the technology developing in our world. The documentary explores several different aspects of technology in education, the military, and gaming to emphasize the notion that the technology and the internet are becoming ubiquitous throughout our society. After watching the documentary, I realize that technology and specifically the internet has extremely positive affects by improving our communication in education and the military. On the other hand, technology has one negative aspect in gaming and the addiction it can cause to not only kids but adults in our society. I recognize that technology can dramatically help our modern world but at the same time we need to realize when to pull the plug from the virtual world and come back to the real world.…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    References: Dhameja, D., & Medury, D. (n.d.). Information and Communication Technology in the Globalization Era: The Socio-economic Concerns. Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/eropa/unpan014261.pdf…

    • 612 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    This report will examine how changes in technology are affected by society, in turn, how the society that produced this technology is impacted by this creation. The paper will specifically address the impact of personal computers, cell phones, and the internet on society, and how these technological advancements relate to the three major sociological perspectives; equilibrium model, digital divide, and cultural lag.…

    • 1156 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Our Future Selves Analysis

    • 1554 Words
    • 7 Pages

    One example of how technology has created equality is through how virtual connectivity evokes the feeling of equality as Schmitz and Cohen claim. For instances, in developed countries individuals have access to the internet and smartphones, whereas in present-day third world countries such as Africa and some countries in Asia individuals have access just to mobile phones (16). The differences between first world countries and third world countries are to prove that economic inequality is global. Secondly, these distinctions…

    • 1554 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Society has been impacted by the increased availability of electronic information in a number of different ways. I am going to talk about how the availability of information affects me and my family, also how it affects society in general and the average individual and to conclude I will talk about individuals and the effect on those who do not have access to IT. Electronic information is available to us via Smartphones, PC’s, PDA’s, Tablets and Laptop’s. There are also advantages and disadvantages of the increased availability of electronic information.…

    • 1958 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In this generation, technology and society go hand and hand. Technology and human life cannot be separated in the perspective of various people. Society has grown to have a co-dependence on technology. As stated by Fareed ZakAria in his article “How to Restore the American dream”, “technology is not only affecting society, but its creating a better reality. Everything is able to be achieved through ease” (Zakaria 460). In a broader view, we depend on technology for everything. Each individual in the world today uses this new entity in their daily lives. The use has become too great, that most of the time it’s viewed as a habit. The demand for technology keeps on increasing everyday as we use technology to travel, to communicate, to learn, and to handling business but most importantly, to live in peace and comfort. In the article, “Technology & Society: A Canadian Perspective”, the authors said the following about technology. “Technology and Society, we are told exist in a dynamic reciprocal relationship; they act on, and react to, one another” (Goyder and Aant). Without technology society is able to…

    • 1722 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Technology is a gift to my generation. Technology can educate us in many different ways. Rather than going to a library to research a topic, you can research anything on the internet. Today’s technology makes communication much easier, quicker, and far more convenient. In addition, we can access this technology through new and improved devices like smart phones, computers, tablets, smart televisions that can access the internet, and even smart watches. This technology makes life easier. For example an online shopper might be concerned about a product. The customer can email the company and discuss the product . Technology can…

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nowadays, computers are becoming more and more affordable, acting as a major time and effort convenience for families across the world. The advancement of this technology within the last twenty years been tremendous and suggests much more progress is yet to come. But as the abundance of computers has increased immensely, society has fallen into an over dependence and reliance of them and the effects have been quite evident. Undoubtedly, we should embrace the wonders of this new technology but has society taken a turn for the worst by the increasing…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    ‘Developing countries … face new barriers and the risk of not just being marginalized but completely bypassed … the World Wide Web or Internet has emerged as an invisible barrier embracing the connected and silently excluding the rest.'…

    • 291 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Today, technology is becoming more widespread. More and more people are becoming dependent on technology. Most jobs require the use of technology. Technology has increased over the years until many people cannot do their jobs without it. However, technology is a good thing; one may wonder if it had replaced many human beings in the workforce including e-mailing, cell phones, computers, internet, and video conferencing. Technology is apparent in every aspect of life. It had changed everyday’s living thing dramatically, both in positive and in negative ways. Technology, especially the Internet, has made information a much quicker and easier process and that makes humans rely on the internet too much, in other word, they are getting lazy. In the past, when we want to obtain information it required days or even weeks of research in the library, now a day we can just Google it and tons of information will pop up.…

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    This essay discusses how Smart Phones are narrowing the digital divide between African Americans, Latinos and white non Hispanics. The paper discusses what can be done on a desktop PC or laptop that can 't be done on a smart phone, why smart phone ownership in third world countries will help close the digital divide, attributes associated with smart phone ownership compared to house hold incomes, and how greater access to the internet will continue to close the digital divide.…

    • 1189 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Digital Divide

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Who is effected and why? Also how to overcome the digital divide? This is a global issue, as well as having a major affects in the further development of America. The negative and positive effects of digital divide, is hindering a portion of the world and while another is quickly progressing. It effects education, income, socialization, even civilization as we know it.…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Of course, the majority of mankind cannot use the Internet nowadays or in the near future, since they live in countries which lack the necessary economical and technological infrastructure. But the Internet causes polarization in developed countries, too: people are divided into Internet users and Internet illiterates, and as the use of the Internet grows and often replaces traditional methods of communication, the illiterates may find themselves in an awkward position.…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays