Scientific Articles

• Zhao, L., Cao, C., Li, Y., & Li, Y. (2022). Determinants of the digital outcome divide in E-learning between rural and urban students: Empirical evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic based on capital theory. Computers in Human Behavior, 130, 107177. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CHB.2021.107177
• Sosa Díaz. (2021). Emergency Remote Education, Family Support and the Digital Divide in the Context of the COVID-19 Lockdown. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157956
• Gu. (2021). Family Conditions and the Accessibility of Online Education: The Digital Divide and Mediating Factors. Sustainability, 13(15).  https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158590

Explanation of the Post

With the advent of COVID-19, governments had to take strong containment measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The implementation of these measures meant the closure of schools and the transformation of the face-to-face educational model into an online educational model. In this new model, ICT has been presented as an essential tool to continue teaching safely. It should be noted that during the confinement, online teaching allowed classes to continue. However, it has become clear that this model exacerbates the digital divide due to the socio-digital inequalities that occur among students. The present situation has affected to a greater extent the students with a low socioeconomic level and/or who live in rural contexts. These factors make it difficult to access devices, digital resources, and the Internet; in addition, they are often linked to a lack of digital skills for both families and students.

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