Cambridge International Examination 9626 IT Chapter 10 - Digital Divide

AS IT 9626 Digital Divide

1. Digital Divide Chapter 6

2. The Effects of the Digital Divide Inequality of access to internet could lead to effects on areas like: Health Education Job Opportunities Social Interaction Lack of benefit of uses of Internet

3. Health

4. Education

5. Job opportunities Most jobs require IT Skills. All the businesses and industries, supermarkets shops etc use IT in their everyday dealings. Job seekers need to have the required IT skills to be able to explore the job opportunities. School and colleges have varied courses to teach IT skills to students. But in poor and rural areas or developing countries often struggle to have computer resources for providing courses to their students. Another area affected by digital divide is that companies recruiting employees online. For example Job Recruitment agencies. Access to the technology, ability to use new technologies and levels of literacy also limits social equality for people from deprived backgrounds.

6. To be continued… Many organizations who pay good wages view computer skills as being essential factor. People without internet will not gain access to the latest information concerning job opportunities. Simple things like generating a CV online or send it using email might be a task for the one who is unable to access internet or a broadband. As the technology improves and develops, job hunters can hugely increase their chances of finding their dream jobs by being familiar with the development in the technology.

7. Social Interaction Use of IT technologies has improved interaction between people Social networking websites help in communication and staying in touch with friends and family. The use of internet allows people to have theses oppprtunities but it also creates a social divide between those who have the skills to use IT and those who don’t. Such divisions generate a possibility of social inconsistencies in communities. Rich people have easy access to technology whereas poor people don’t.

8. Other uses for the Internet Online booking system Online Banking Online shopping Access to latest news Government websites Research work Communication

9. Reducing the Effects of the Digital Divide Faster and cheaper access to the internet Digital literacy and providing digital skills courses for less costs and making it available in general without any constraints. Partnership between governments, the private sectors, education providers and IT experts. Governments can provide incentives to private industries as well as investment for rural projects and funding for education system. Use of PLC power-line communication which carries data through power cables which is often referred to as Broadband over power lines (BPL) Teaching programmes within the older communitites to overcome the fear of IT in them.

10. Children from poorer community also suffer. They can be helped by companies releasing cheap PCs or laptops to school children. Reduced prices for refurbished computers to children. Non-profit organizations working with the government to provide PCs for use in schools People living in rural areas have no or poor access to the internet. One solution to this is to create cyber cafes in these areas with cheaper browsing rates or to some extent free surfing. To be continued…

11. Exam Style Question Solve in Notebook