The term “Digital Divide” refers to the disparity in access to digital technologies, such as computers, high-speed Internet, and premium subscriptions to AI platforms. In education, this issue gained widespread attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, as institutions quickly realized that they could not reliably interact with all of their students online. There are several factors that contribute to this gap, but two of the primary causes are economic status and geographic location. For many lower-income households, the cost of a reliable computer and monthly broadband service can be prohibitive. Also, urban areas typically have multiple high-speed Internet providers compared to rural regions, as telecommunication companies are less inclined to invest in sparsely populated areas where there is limited financial return.

A 2021 report by the Midwestern Higher Education Compact revealed that 16% to 19% of college students said their lack of reliable computer hardware and/or Internet connection made it difficult to participate in online education. These numbers were noticeably higher for lower-income, Black, and Hispanic students, and students living in rural areas. More recent studies have shown little-to-no improvement: in 2024, 79% percent of adults have broadband Internet access at home (down from 80% in 2023) according to Pew Research Center’s Internet, Broadband Fact Sheet. Also, Pew’s Mobile Fact Sheet reports that 15% of adults say they only use a smartphone to access the Internet, meaning that they have no access to broadband at all.

Currently, the best way to address this issue is to create and utilize educational content that is designed to be used on a smartphone. As of 2024, the most common way that U.S. adults access the Internet is by smartphone, which 91% report owning. Pew breaks this down further by stating ownership is at 98% for adults ages 18-29, 97% for those who are 30-49, and 91% for those who are 50-64.

When it comes to creating and utilizing mobile-friendly content, West Chester University (WCU) faculty have several resources available, including Desire2Learn templates that were designed for creating modules that are responsive (meaning that they automatically adjust their layout and design to fit a device’s screen). Additionally, many of the third-party educational apps that we use are mobile-friendly, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Padlet, Poll Everywhere, VoiceThread, and Zoom. More information is available from the Teaching Technologies page on the Teaching and Learning Center’s web site.

There are also a variety of resources available that can help our students address issues with lack of internet connectivity and/or equipment:

• Resources available from WCU:
  • IS&T has laptops and wireless hotspots available for short-term and long-term loans; see their Student Computing Resources page for details.
  • WCU is a member of Eduroam, which is a consortium of organizations that include universities, health care and research facilities, municipalities, and others that allow access to each other’s WiFi networks using your student or employee credentials. This provides the opportunity for students who may not be near WCU’s campus to find another location closer to them with high-speed a connection. IS&T’s Networking page provides more information about where and how it can be used.
• Resources available outside of WCU:
  • Lifeline is a federal program that provides discounts for phone and internet services. See their web site for details about their qualification requirements and application process.
  • The Affordable Connectivity Program was another federal program that was aimed at lowering internet access costs, but it was not renewed by congress in 2024. However, several internet service providers have kept the low-end broadband packages that were created for the program available, many of which range from $15 to $30 per month. CNET’s article Low-Income Internet Alternatives for All 50 States contains a comprehensive list of these plans.

Finally, faculty should think about the affects of additional cost when integrating tech tools into their courses. While there are many high-quality software programs, web sites, and subscription services available that could supplement or enhance a variety of courses, adding for-pay materials may result in increasing this divide for some students and should be considered carefully.