Elene-ee Kick-off Meeting – UMEA, Sweden 2006 – 02- (27/28)

e-learning and Digital divides (WP 4)

Adel Ben YoussefADIS – University of Paris Sud

www.elene-paris.org

With the collaboration of elene-Paris TeamMounir Dahmani, Emna El Okbi, Tamara Nevedova, Fabrice Lequeux, Fabrice Leguel, Alain Rallet, Fabrice Rochelandet, Gueorgui Ianakiev

E-LEARNING AND DIGITAL DIVIDES (WP 4)

1. Theoretical Background

Concept widely used but poorely defined in the literature A concept linked to the agenda of international institutions :

United Nations, EOCD, European Commission… Main theoretical contributions : (Long-Scott, 1995), (T.Arquette,

2002) (Scadias, 2002), (OCDE, 2004), (Corrocher et Ordanini, 2002), (Pohjola, 2002), (Koski, Rouvinen et Ylä-Anttila, 2002), (Antonelli, 2003), (Steinmuller 2002), (Rallet et Rochelandet, 2003), (Bo Carlsson, 2004), (Ben Youssef, 2004 and 2005).

Performances of e-learning (ICT based education) : General Framework

ICT based education

Labour Market(Supply/Demand)

Education outcomes

Education (quality, achievement, costs, spillovers, time allocation...)

1

2

3

e-skills (shortage, gaps and mismatch)

INPUTS OUTPUTS

COSTS/BENEFICES(WP 1)

E-LEARNINGPERFORMANCES

(WP 2)

DIGITAL DIVIDES (WP 4)

INDICATORS (WP 3)

2. Definition of Digital divides

“The gap between individuals, households, business and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard both to their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to their use of Internet for a wide variety of activities.

The digital divide reflects various differences among and within countries. The ability of individuals and businesses to take advantage of the Internet varies significantly across the OECD area as well between OECD and non member countries. Access to basic telecommunications infrastructures is fundamental to any consideration of the issue, as it precedes and is more widely available than access to and use of the Internet.” OECD (2001)

3. Digital divides or Digital dividend?

How e-learning experiences are bridging or causing digital divides ? What are the real impacts of ICT on education?1/ Regional disparities (generalisation of access to education to all regions ?/ the equipment question is central)2/ Ethnic disparities (What are the sub groups of persons under this Digital divides (non acess to e-learning))3/ Gender (is the acess to e-learning is the same between gender?)4/ Do Less Revenues persons have the same access to Education’s ICTs ?

4. Four types of Digital Divides

First Level Digital divide (Access to Educational ICTs) What are the main determinant of access to e-learning as a

lifelong education mechanism (supply)? What are the basic technologies and are all persons able to

accede to these technologies? Do gender matter?

Second Level Digital divide (varieties of Uses of Educational ICTs): How people use the educative ICT? Diversity of uses, efficient use, models of use, best practices

Third Level fo Digital divide (Performances) : Why some people perform better than other when they use ICT

for education? Do some people obtain Education and e-skills whether the others do not reach these outcomes?

Spatial digital divides Is there any regional disparities as regards education ICT? Do e-

learning bridge the regional divide?

5. First level Digital Divide (To do) First level of Digital divides are explained mainly by

differences in : revenues, technological profiles (competences in ICT), Education levels…

Public policies are very important at this stage (equipement, access to the technology…)

Data needed : national data (Education using ICT and e-learning in general), Eurostat, EOCD Education statistics…)

Example : closing the digital divide : Market or Public Policies (computer by persons in classrooms) show chart.

Methodology : (using ORBICOM Index – GINI Index – others Index of Digital divides)

Case studies in matter of bridging the digital divides are welcomed (every partner must give us at least 2 cases studies for this point).

Special focus on Public Policies and Innovative practices.

Bridging the Digital divide :Average number of students per computer, 2000 and 2003

United-states 6 3

Norway 7 6

United kingdom 8 4

Sweden 12 6

Italy 16 8

Spain 24 12

Deutschland 24 12

Finland 10 6

Japan 14 5

Portugal 74 14

Greece 58 12

6. Second level Digital Divide (To do)

Uses : How people use the educative ICTs? Is there any national patterns? We speak about Digital trajectories

Main uses of ICT in education (short list): communication (between students, between students and teachers…), cooperation (between students), getting information…

Explaining the differences in uses among persons in e-learning setting and among countries

Explaining the Intensity of uses of ICT (Leguel, Pénard and Suire, 2002, 2004 and 2005), Leguel (2004 and 2006)

Methodology : questionnaires and data surveys Case studies in matter of bridging the digital divides are

welcomed (every partner must give us at least 2 cases studies for this point).

7. Third level Digital Divide (To do)

Performances : How people perform after using the educative ICTs? Is there any national patterns? (Labour Market and Education)

Strong link with WP2 and WP3…

Explaining the differences in performances among persons in e-learning setting and among countries. Micro-performances and Macro-performances

Methodology : data bases Case studies (every partner must give us at least 2

cases studies for this point).

8. Fourth level Digital Divide (To do)

Special Focus on Leaders/followers in e-learning setting :

Do leaders causes digital divides or bridge digital divides How do they impact the learning process

What about specific actions for persons on the other side of the divide?

Do we need specific actions? What about their efficacy?

Methodology : Case studies (every partner must give us at least 2 cases studies for this point).

9. Time schedule

Spring 2006: Identify the different levels of the digital divide (first level, second

level, spatial one…). Links between uses of ICT and the difference on the performances. Methodology to be used (Scadias (2002), ORBICOM, Corrocher et

Ordinani (2001),…). Literature review.

Fall 2006: Valid main hypothesis and main indicators of digital divides. Organize the data set. Literature review, attend conferences.

Spring 2007: Analyzing the data. Indicators of 4 types of digital divides related to Education ICT’s in EU Attend conferences.

Fall 2007: Attend conferences. Finalize the reports.

10. Expected Outputs

1. Theoretical Models papers 2. Econometric estimations

(depends on data collection) 3. Descriptive papers 4. Case studies 5. Best practices

Outputs depends on inputs (working days)

11. References and Scientific Board

C. Antonelli (2003, 2004 and 2006) E. Steinmuller (2001 and 2005) P. Petit and Soete (2004) A. Rallet (1999 and 2004) E. Brousseau (2004)

WP 4 – Workplan and Milestones

WP 4A WP 4B WP 4C WP 4D (in progress) WP 4-Management

WP 4A - First level Digital Divide (Access and Equipments)

Question(s): What are the main digital divides (gender/ethnic/national/regional) and a special focus on bridging the digital divides)?

Special Focus on: bridging the digital divide by public policies and Market Dynamics

National public policies, Regional public policies, e-learning Market dynamics, Prices index of e-learning (if possible)

Task 1 - Access to educative ICT (to be defined) and also to broadband…

Task 2 - Summary of main explanations and hypothesis of this first level digital divide

- Revenues, Education level, Equipment prices, ICT skills

Task 3 – Summary of the literature (A Survey) (Alain Rallet, Adel Ben Youssef, Fabrice Rochelandet)

Task 4 – Characterization of the first level DD

Data needed: national data (Education using ICT and e-learning in general), Eurostat, EOCD Education statistics, Institutional data (surveys and questionnaires from : students, teachers, universities…(examples: PL, SWE, FR)

Methodology: (using ORBICOM Index – ARQUETTE © Index – others Index of Digital divides)

All Case studies in matter of bridging the digital divides are welcomed.

WP 4B - Second level Digital Divide (Uses of Educative ICTs)

The question(s): What are the main digital divides in matter of Uses? What explains the differences in uses among persons, institutions and countries in e-learning applications?

Is there any correlation between uses and performances? (link with the WP2)

A special focus on the diversity of uses and the national digital trajectories will be done.

Task 1- Theoretical survey (10 pages on uses of educative ICTs)

Main uses of ICT in education (short list): communication (between students, between students and teachers…), cooperation (between students), getting information…

Task 2 – Intensity of uses Index survey (Leguel, Pénard and Suire, 2002, 2004 and 2005), Leguel (2004 and 2006)

Task 3 – Cases studies from partners Task 4 (if is possible) – Index of uses and

characterization of the the second level of DD at the institutional level (universities), national level and European Level.

Methodology : questionnaires and data surveys from partners and from countries, data processing, econometrics?

All Case studies in matter of bridging the digital divides are welcomed.

WP 4C - Digital Divide of Performances (strong ling with WP1 and WP2)

The question(s): What is the main explaination of digital divides in matter of performances? Why some institutions, students, countries are performing better than others?

Is there any “productivity paradox” on the HE sector? Main explanations to explore: 1 - Statistical problems (Mairesse, 2004, Greenan and

Mairesse, 2003 and 2004) 2 - Skill biased technological Change Hypothesis

(Acemoglu, 1998) (e-competences) 3- Lack of new organizational innovation adoption 4 – Accumulation process (Network effects)

Task 1- Theoretical survey (10 pages on uses on performance of educative ICTs)

Task 2 – Performance Index survey

Task 3 – Cases studies from partners

Task 4 (if is possible) – Micro and Macro-performances of e-learning characterization

Methodology : questionnaires and data surveys from partners and from countries, using data bases (identification), data processing, econometrics

MILESTONES (2006) June 2006 - Surveys on digital divides –

available case studies in our universities. July 2006 – Survey on Main Indexes on

digital divides September 2006 – Questionnaires in order

to identify the digital divides at the institutional level

December 2006 – Implementation of a Database related to our Work