Westfield Shopping Center is not an ideal place for studying, but for Deborah Botende, it was one of her few options.
Botende grew up in a foster care home in Brisbane and did not have internet access at her residence. During high school, she would return home after her retail job and use the shopping center’s Wi-Fi on a second-hand laptop to complete her school assignments.
On her days off, Botende would go to the library, but her time there was limited as the library closed early.
“It was extremely challenging. I often found myself falling behind on assignments and struggling to understand them,” she recalls. “The lack of internet was a significant barrier to my education. I had to take proactive measures.
“I would use the internet after work, sometimes coming home late to work on assignments. I felt like I had no other choice. This was my reality.”
As end-of-year exams commence nationwide, the Smith family is urging the federal government to establish a national device bank to bridge the digital divide among young individuals.
According to the latest data from the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII), nearly a quarter of Australians are digitally excluded, lacking access to vital technologies such as fast internet and digital devices.
Doug Taylor, CEO of The Smith Family, mentions that around 10 million laptops, tablets, and PCs have been discarded by businesses and governments in the last five years. If these were recycled, 10 million students could benefit.
“Digital poverty is a new aspect of poverty that people are facing,” Taylor notes. “It’s a barrier that goes beyond just access.”
Device banks have been successful in other countries. Since 1993, the Canadian government has refurbished and distributed approximately 2 million digital devices through the Computers in Schools program, aiming to reduce electronic waste and enhance young people’s digital skills.
Similarly, The Smith Family has repurposed around 6,500 laptops as part of their digital inclusion efforts, noting that over 80% of students have shown improved academic performance after receiving these devices.
Mr. Taylor emphasizes that with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and new technologies, digital skills are now as crucial as basic literacy and numeracy skills in children’s education.
“We anticipate that more jobs will require higher education, and it’s difficult to envision pursuing higher education or entering the workforce without a laptop,” Taylor states.
“Furthermore, schools now view AI as an indispensable tool. Without access to it, students may face further disadvantages in their education.”
The primary reason for digital exclusion is affordability. Research from ADII shows that 65% of people in public housing experience digital affordability stress, needing to allocate more than 5% of their household income for a reliable internet connection, with 70% of them being unemployed.
Without a national digital inclusion framework, families in need must navigate fragmented state and territory grants, loans, and policies that lack coherence, according to Taylor.
There has been progress in recent years. The Queensland Government, for instance, has introduced funding for public schools to partially cover devices for economically disadvantaged students. Grant schemes are also available for upgrading broadband internet for distance learning students.
In Victoria, schools have implemented BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) programs, encouraging parents to provide devices for their children. In New South Wales, principals can approve the loan of digital devices for home use, though it is not mandatory.
“This is a solvable problem,” Taylor affirms. “We need to consider universal access. Just last week, I spoke to a student who was one of the few not taking notes on a laptop in a lecture. It struck me.”
“When students feel disconnected from the school environment, it impacts their educational experience. Grades suffer, and attendance declines.”
For Botende, who recently completed her advanced degree with the assistance of a donated laptop, individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds already face numerous disadvantages.
“Digital inclusion may seem basic, but it levels the playing field,” she concludes.
Source: www.theguardian.com
