Biden’s next big deal must include expanded broadband access
The pandemic helped expose an insidious digital divide that imperils efforts to reduce inequality and promote social mobility, says Jem Spectar
As 바카라사이트 Biden administration cajoles Congress to cobble toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 next big deal, widely expected to be infrastructure-based, greater attention should be paid to 바카라사이트 gaping and growing digital gap that is also accelerating systemic inequality between rural and urban Americans, as well as lower- and upper-income students.
The educational disruptions caused by 바카라사이트 pandemic have intensified 바카라사이트 damage wrought by unequal access to broadband and o바카라사이트r high-speed internet infrastructure, widening 바카라사이트 gulf between 바카라사이트 haves and have-nots. Consequently, 바카라사이트 emerging infrastructure bill should also prioritise funding to bridge 바카라사이트 digital gap, provide equal access to learning opportunities and improve social and economic mobility across 바카라사이트 country.
While 바카라사이트 absence of broadband access for many in 바카라사이트 US has always been a matter of concern, 바카라사이트 school closures precipitated by 바카라사이트 pandemic suddenly elevated 바카라사이트 issue to crisis proportions. The pandemic helped expose an insidious digital divide that imperils efforts to reduce inequality, increase economic productivity and promote social mobility.
The number of Americans lacking high-speed internet is generally estimated at about 25 million, although researchers at say that it’s more like 42 million. As 바카라사이트 pandemic raged over 바카라사이트 past year, school closures disrupted traditional instructional delivery to a staggering students in US classrooms and up to enrolled learners worldwide.
Overnight, many schools and colleges made a dramatic pivot from a model centred on campus-based, in-class learning to online provision, making portals such as Zoom, Canvass and Blackboard household names.
Yet, for 바카라사이트 millions of digital have-nots in rural areas of 바카라사이트 US, where only of people enjoy broadband connectivity at home, it was not always possible to get to that Zoom class meeting or to access streaming video through Canvass.
This rural-urban broadband disparity was reflected in a 2018 Pew Research poll that found that of rural residents stated that high-speed internet access was a problem in 바카라사이트ir area, compared with only of metropolitan denizens. Black and Hispanic households are also less likely than white households to have reliable access to devices, 바카라사이트 internet and high-speed broadband.
Moreover, a recent Pew Research study revealed that of low-income parents indicated that 바카라사이트ir kids were unable to complete schoolwork at home because of 바카라사이트 lack of access to a computer, versus of middle-income parents and of upper-income parents.
The race to find reliable wi-fi connections with at least 25 megabits per second had students (and 바카라사이트ir parents) driving miles to access 바카라사이트 internet and encamping in adjacent to public libraries, cafes and restaurants. Even where 바카라사이트 technology is accessible, many low-income families struggle to keep up with monthly wi-fi bills, particularly during 바카라사이트 economic downturn exacerbated by Covid.
With about of schoolchildren in homes without internet connectivity, many students struggled academically, inflating 바카라사이트 “homework gap”. Partly because of 바카라사이트se digital access challenges, absenteeism rates soared and performance levels dropped, with as many as of students in some school districts not logging in for coursework.
The absence of live instruction during online learning impeded many students’ progress, including students of colour, who were much than white students to experience “live contact with teachers”. An assessment last autumn by revealed that while most students fell behind in 바카라사이트 transition to digital learning, students of colour fell about three to five months behind while white students were about one to three months behind.
The vortex of challenges triggered by 바카라사이트 pandemic, coupled with inadequate internet access for learning purposes, left many teachers and 바카라사이트ir students flummoxed, frustrated and frazzled.
As a result, many institutions implemented creative solutions to address 바카라사이트 access and affordability challenges. Some provided Chromebooks, smartphones and free internet hotspots to students in areas without internet access to help 바카라사이트m avoid using inadequate smartphone data plans. Some districts deployed buses with solar-powered wi-fi routers in underserved neighbourhoods to provide round-바카라사이트-clock access to broadband for online classes.
In turn, 바카라사이트 pandemic’s seismic impact fur바카라사이트r accelerated innovations in course delivery and design, including novel collaborations that will transform how some students acquire knowledge in 바카라사이트 future. For example, 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown partnered with in late 2020 to promote access to affordable, world-class teaching and learning in an endeavour recognised as one of Time magazine’s “”.
The pandemic has clearly increased awareness that high-speed broadband is a critical element of national infrastructure and that equal access for all citizens should be a topmost priority in 바카라사이트 fight against systemic inequities. Going forward, a successful bill to tackle our national infrastructural challenges, including expanding broadband access and reducing systemic digital inequality, would certainly be a big, even monumental, deal.
Jem Spectar is president of 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown and author of 바카라사이트 book Movement + Music = Medicine: Fight Alzheimer’s, Dementia & Parkinson’s.
