ABSTRACT
This short entry provides a brief synopsis of the Digital Divide as it relates to formal educational settings. The Digital Divide, coined in the mid-1990s, originally described a growing social inequity and labelled individuals as ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ with respect to access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). As the term has evolved with advancements in ICT, contemporary descriptions also include an individual’s ICT knowledge, skills, use, and dispositions. Formal education is commonly designated as the answer to correct this social inequity. However, the Digital Divide and formal education have an integral and dynamic relationship as formal education can also serve to intensify the problem. This entry characterises the multilayered nature of the Digital Divide using the Levels of the Digital Divide in Schools conceptual model. A brief review of current research and potential solutions is provided.
