The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The devastating COVID-19 pandemic forced academia to go virtual. Educational institutions around the world have stressed online learning programs in the aftermath of the pandemic. However, because of insufficient access to Information Communication Technology (ICT), a substantial number of students...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/8/287 |
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| author | Md Badiuzzaman Md. Rafiquzzaman Md Insiat Islam Rabby Mohammad Mustaneer Rahman |
| author_facet | Md Badiuzzaman Md. Rafiquzzaman Md Insiat Islam Rabby Mohammad Mustaneer Rahman |
| author_sort | Md Badiuzzaman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The devastating COVID-19 pandemic forced academia to go virtual. Educational institutions around the world have stressed online learning programs in the aftermath of the pandemic. However, because of insufficient access to Information Communication Technology (ICT), a substantial number of students failed to harness the opportunity of online learning. This study explores the latent digital divide exhibited during the COVID-19 pandemic while online learning activities are emphasised among students of Bangladesh. It also investigates the digital divide exposure and the significant underlying drivers of the divide. In order to accomplish this, a cross-sectional survey was employed to collect quantitative data, mixed with open-ended questions were utilised to gather qualitative information from the student community. The findings revealed that despite the majority of students having physical access to ICT, only 32.5% of students could attend online classes seamlessly. In total, 34.1% reported data prices as the critical barrier, while 39.8% identified poor network infrastructure as the significant barrier preventing them from participating in online learning activities. Although most students possess physical access to various devices and the Internet, they face the first-level digital divide due to the quality of access and price of cellular Internet. Consequently, they fail to take advantage of physical access, resulting in the third-level digital divide (utility gap), which submerges them into a digital divide cycle. The primary objective of this study is to explore the underlying issues of the digital divide among Bangladeshi students. This will assist relevant stakeholders (e.g., the Bangladesh government, educational institutions, and researchers) to gain necessary insights and theoretical understanding of underlying limitations and emergent directions to arrange adequate support for underprivileged students to undertake essential online learning activities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:44:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eea79909fff54545b0f01ba1af86dbf8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-2489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:44:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-eea79909fff54545b0f01ba1af86dbf82023-11-22T08:05:34ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892021-07-0112828710.3390/info12080287The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 PandemicMd Badiuzzaman0Md. Rafiquzzaman1Md Insiat Islam Rabby2Mohammad Mustaneer Rahman3Faculty of Arts Design and Architecture, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaDepartment of Industrial Engineering & Management, Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, Khulna 9203, BangladeshDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor 43400, MalaysiaSchool of Information and Communication Technology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, AustraliaThe devastating COVID-19 pandemic forced academia to go virtual. Educational institutions around the world have stressed online learning programs in the aftermath of the pandemic. However, because of insufficient access to Information Communication Technology (ICT), a substantial number of students failed to harness the opportunity of online learning. This study explores the latent digital divide exhibited during the COVID-19 pandemic while online learning activities are emphasised among students of Bangladesh. It also investigates the digital divide exposure and the significant underlying drivers of the divide. In order to accomplish this, a cross-sectional survey was employed to collect quantitative data, mixed with open-ended questions were utilised to gather qualitative information from the student community. The findings revealed that despite the majority of students having physical access to ICT, only 32.5% of students could attend online classes seamlessly. In total, 34.1% reported data prices as the critical barrier, while 39.8% identified poor network infrastructure as the significant barrier preventing them from participating in online learning activities. Although most students possess physical access to various devices and the Internet, they face the first-level digital divide due to the quality of access and price of cellular Internet. Consequently, they fail to take advantage of physical access, resulting in the third-level digital divide (utility gap), which submerges them into a digital divide cycle. The primary objective of this study is to explore the underlying issues of the digital divide among Bangladeshi students. This will assist relevant stakeholders (e.g., the Bangladesh government, educational institutions, and researchers) to gain necessary insights and theoretical understanding of underlying limitations and emergent directions to arrange adequate support for underprivileged students to undertake essential online learning activities.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/8/287COVID-19digital divideonline learningmulti-level digital divide |
| spellingShingle | Md Badiuzzaman Md. Rafiquzzaman Md Insiat Islam Rabby Mohammad Mustaneer Rahman The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Information COVID-19 digital divide online learning multi-level digital divide |
| title | The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | The Latent Digital Divide and Its Drivers in E-Learning among Bangladeshi Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | latent digital divide and its drivers in e learning among bangladeshi students during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 digital divide online learning multi-level digital divide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/8/287 |
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