The Disconnected: COVID-19 and Disparities in Access to Quality Broadband for Higher Education Students

Autor/inn/en	Cullinan, John; Flannery, Darragh; Harold, Jason; Lyons, Seán; Palcic, Dónal
Titel	The Disconnected: COVID-19 and Disparities in Access to Quality Broadband for Higher Education Students
Quelle	In: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18 (2021), Artikel 26 (21 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2365-9440
DOI	10.1186/s41239-021-00262-1
Schlagwörter	COVID-19; Pandemics; Access to Computers; Internet; Access to Education; Higher Education; College Students; Distance Education; Online Courses; Blended Learning; Electronic Learning; Foreign Countries; Equal Education; Economically Disadvantaged; At Risk Students; Ireland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Collegestudent; Distance study; Distance learning; Fernunterricht; Online course; Online-Kurs; Ausland; Irland
Abstract	The COVID-19 pandemic forced many higher education institutions (HEIs) across the world to cancel face-to-face teaching, close campus facilities, and displace staff and students to work and learn from home. Given the persistent nature of the pandemic, many HEIs have continued to deliver courses online and/or use a blended learning approach. However, there are concerns around differences in student access to digital learning resources while at home, including high quality broadband connectivity. This is important, since variation in connectivity may impact the type of online/blended model that faculty can deliver or constrain student engagement with online content. In this context, this paper combines national data on the domiciles of students enrolled in Irish HEIs with detailed spatial data on broadband coverage to estimate the number of higher education students 'at risk' of poor access to high quality internet connectivity. Overall it finds that one-in-six students come from areas with poor broadband coverage, with large disparities by geography and by HEI. It also finds that students from the poorest broadband coverage areas are more likely to be socioeconomically disadvantaged. As a result, this paper recommends that HEIs use their detailed registration data to help identify and support at-risk students. In particular, the results suggest that some HEIs may need to prioritise access to campus facilities and services to less well-off students living in poor broadband coverage areas. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01