In this world that
technology is the primary way of communication, study research and source of
different knowledge. The interaction between human and computers has become
rampant as we live in 21st century. And the ability to access computers
and internet has been increasing due to public demand. This situation gave us
questionable expression, what will happen to those people who do not have this
access.
Digital divide is merely
described as a gap in terms of access to and usage of information and
communication technology. It also talks about having or not having access.
Somehow digital divide define as an economic and social inequality with regards
to access, use of, or impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
While obtaining access ICT’s and using them actively it has been linked a
number of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Among these income,
education, race, gender, geographic location (urban-rural), age, skills,
political awareness, cultural and psychological attitudes can also attributes
in the increasing number of reasons in building the digital divide gap.
As for geographic location,
people living in urban places such cities have more access in internet and show
more usage computer services than those in rural areas. By this we can say that
people living in urban places is luckily enough to have access in such thing
“internet”. They can easily connect to other people by means of communication,
they will more accessible and easy to gain more knowledge, most of all they
will not experience social-neglect and such discrimination. On the other side
people living in rural places gain least knowledge, and they will experience
the time gap as they were not engage in newly found technology, other
consequences of this is the racial discrimination.
In this way we can conclude
that technology played a important role in life of students, business
man/woman, teachers and other sectors. They used technology creatively in the
way teachers teach students. In some schools, teachers are using the Internet
to keep up with the latest developments in their field of teaching, they can
also exchange lesson plans with their colleagues through mailing with the aid
of internet access. However, students are able to log on to some useful and
knowledgeable sites, more frequently download primary documents for their
research paper, explore the universe with an Internet-connected telescope used
by professional astronomers. Students can also establish powerful
Internet-based learning resources that can be used by other students such as
award-winning sites on such chosen topic like endangered species, the biology
of sleep, human perception of sound, and exploration of the judicial system.
How it is important to
bridge the gap in digital divide. First in foremost, some information and
communication technologies are vital to quality civic life. It suggest that the
Internet and other ICT’s are somehow transforming society, improving our mutual
understanding, eliminating power differentials, and realizing a truly free
democratic world, society, and other benefits. Second, most of countries access
to telephone system is considered such a vital element that governments
implement various policies to offer affordable telephone service. Sad to say
some countries lack of sufficient telephone lines. Third, is the literacy
although it is not related to any technologies or even in latest and newest
technological devices but it is a very widely shared view in many societies
that being literate to one’s essential career, that bring self-guided learning,
to political participation, and to internet usage. Fourth, rural access the
accessibility of rural areas to Internet is the major test of the digital
divide. But nowadays there are different ways to eliminate the digital divide
in rural areas in the first line is the use of Power Lines (PLT AND PLC), next
is the satellite communications who offer new possibilities of universal;
access to the Internet, then the lack of telephone lines will not limit access,
lastly to lower access prices are required to bridge the digital divide.
Lastly, the disabilities is one of the potential Internet users constitute
another type of divide and care that should be taken to avoid that persons with
disabilities be left out of Internet access.
According to some studies
there are a variety of arguments regarding the closing of digital divide. Here
are some of the major arguments: (1) Economic Equality; (2) Social Mobility;
(3) Democracy; (4) Economic Growth. These four will guide us to bridge the gap
of digital divide.
Cons for this digital divide
are as follows; For some adults who do not use the internet, almost half
told that the main reason they don’t go online is because they don’t think the
internet is relevant to them. In some cases they do not used internet before
because it doesn’t help them for their household chores. About one in five says
that they do know enough about technology to start using the internet on their
own. While on the other hand if there is a cons it also have the pros and that
are as follows; technology can produce innovative break thoughts that can be scaled
across in the industry sectors. It play a crucial role in the transition to a
successful growing of the economy. Also encourages upstream investment in
industries like creating new markets; talking existing markets online (e-books,
wattpad, and newspapers); transforming an established market (online gaming);
and combining existing markets (smartphones for calls, emails, social media and
information gathering). Another is the tremendous example how innovate uses of
both technologies helping the poor being promoted by the partnership between in
some sectors. One of this is utilizing new software, building WIFI for free
poor rural communities.
I conclude to bridge the gap
of digital divide we must create new innovative solutions that will help the
rural areas to access to the internet. We must educate and empower young, the
old, the rich and the poor about how important the technology is. We need to
build stronger ties to overcome this divide. Because I believe with proper
communication is the key to success and harmonious life.
