{"id":15852,"date":"2020-08-26T07:16:35","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T11:16:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.elearninginside.com\/?p=15852"},"modified":"2020-08-25T15:04:03","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T19:04:03","slug":"we-need-to-address-the-digital-divide-for-higher-ed-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.elearninginside.com\/we-need-to-address-the-digital-divide-for-higher-ed-students\/","title":{"rendered":"We Need to Address the Digital Divide for Higher Ed Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our country\u2019s digital divide has been an ongoing hurdle, affecting the 21 million Americans<\/a> who don\u2019t have access to broadband internet. Since the onset of the coronavirus, the need for reliable, affordable internet access across the nation has been brought to the forefront<\/a>. With more than 119,000 Western Governors University<\/a> higher ed students enrolled in the online university, more and more of these individuals have found that their educational success requires their household to meet a certain digital threshold.<\/p>\n

Higher Ed Students On the Wrong Side of the Digital Divide Have their Work Cut Out for Them<\/h2>\n

With more than 50% of U.S. employees<\/a> now working remotely, students who are also full-time workers are finding themselves not only requiring reliable internet access to complete their coursework and studies, but to remain employed and financially secure. Additionally, many people who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, equating to nearly 40 million Americans<\/a>, are now seeking ways to return to school to broaden their opportunities or begin a new career path. However, the loss of income sources adds an additional layer of difficulty to affording broadband internet, which is required for online learners.<\/p>\n

In fact, 44% of American households<\/a> nationwide with income under $30,000 don\u2019t have access to reliable internet services\u00a0 and 46% don\u2019t have a traditional computer. Our country\u2019s digital divide is especially evident in rural areas<\/a>, where 58% of rural Americans<\/a> view the lack of high speed internet as a problem. This often stems from the fact that rural areas are less likely to be wired for broadband services, therefore resulting in slower internet speeds.<\/p>\n

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As @Pulsipher_WGU<\/a> writes, "Talent is universal. Access to the internet is not." These days, "online" isn't just a flavor of education, it's all that's on the menu. In this new COVID world, the digital divide is simply unacceptable. https:\/\/t.co\/nwfZX8GG58<\/a><\/p>\n

— Alana Dunagan (@alanadunaganed) June 8, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n