Parameters of the Digital Divide. Mack Shelley RISE, ELPS, Statistics, Iowa State University Lisa Thrane RISE, Iowa State University Stuart Shulman Environmental Science and Policy Program, Drake University. Prepared for Science and Society Seminar Series, September 30, 2003. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Parameters of the Digital Divide Parameters of the Digital Divide Mack Shelley Mack Shelley RISE, ELPS, Statistics, Iowa State University RISE, ELPS, Statistics, Iowa State University Lisa Thrane Lisa Thrane RISE, Iowa State University RISE, Iowa State University Stuart Shulman Stuart Shulman Environmental Science and Policy Program, Drake University Environmental Science and Policy Program, Drake University Prepared for Science and Society Seminar Series, September Prepared for Science and Society Seminar Series, September 30, 2003 30, 2003
Transcript
Parameters of the Digital DivideParameters of the Digital Divide
Mack Shelley Mack Shelley RISE, ELPS, Statistics, Iowa State UniversityRISE, ELPS, Statistics, Iowa State University
Lisa ThraneLisa ThraneRISE, Iowa State UniversityRISE, Iowa State University
Stuart ShulmanStuart ShulmanEnvironmental Science and Policy Program, Drake UniversityEnvironmental Science and Policy Program, Drake University
Prepared for Science and Society Seminar Series, September 30, Prepared for Science and Society Seminar Series, September 30, 20032003
The Digital Citizenship The Digital Citizenship ProjectProject
An outgrowth of eRulemaking researchAn outgrowth of eRulemaking research Audiences raise digital divide questionsAudiences raise digital divide questions
Creates a Digital Citizenship courseCreates a Digital Citizenship course ENV/POLS 052ENV/POLS 052 covers the digital divide debate, covers the digital divide debate,
impact on politics, and Lessig’s impact on politics, and Lessig’s CodeCode Requires a 1-credit service-learning lab Requires a 1-credit service-learning lab
Service-learning & research design can clashService-learning & research design can clash Ex., Reciprocity and randomizationEx., Reciprocity and randomization
Service-Learning TheoryService-Learning Theory One useful definitionOne useful definition
Service-Learning is a method of teaching and Service-Learning is a method of teaching and learning which engages students in solving learning which engages students in solving problems and addressing issues in their school or problems and addressing issues in their school or greater community as part of a total educational greater community as part of a total educational program.program.
Motivation for serviceMotivation for service ““To teach is to learn twice”To teach is to learn twice”
– – Joseph JoubertJoseph Joubert
Learning to think like a researcherLearning to think like a researcher Participant observers Participant observers A critical role for classroom reflectionA critical role for classroom reflection
““Falling Through the Net”Falling Through the Net”
““raising the level of digital raising the level of digital inclusion … is a vitally inclusion … is a vitally important national goal … important national goal … Internet access is no longer Internet access is no longer just a luxury item”just a luxury item” US Department of CommerceUS Department of Commerce
Information literacy an Information literacy an increasingly critical increasingly critical component of citizenshipcomponent of citizenship eGov leaves many behindeGov leaves many behind
Drake students engaged inservice-learning with Polk Co. seniors
Senior Citizen ClienteleSenior Citizen Clientele
Survey (n=90) administered to suburban seniors in Des Moines
62% over 70; 85% White; 65% female 75% have computers at home 75% have computers at home Over 2/3 have limited computer skills Over 2/3 have limited computer skills 58% report no experience with the World Wide 58% report no experience with the World Wide
WebWeb 29% low skill 29% low skill 10% contact public officials via Internet 10% contact public officials via Internet Majority do not want elections held on the InternetMajority do not want elections held on the Internet 65% do not believe that the Internet should 65% do not believe that the Internet should
empower citizens to be politically involvedempower citizens to be politically involved
Source: CNN.COM Web Site
Student ReflectionStudent Reflection
““Before this class, I didn’t know what digital Before this class, I didn’t know what digital citizenship was. At the Social Security citizenship was. At the Social Security Administration, you can’t talk to someone Administration, you can’t talk to someone directly without going through technological directly without going through technological jumping jacks. I couldn’t imagine someone jumping jacks. I couldn’t imagine someone who was relatively poor, old, and uneducated who was relatively poor, old, and uneducated trying to find out what their income was. You trying to find out what their income was. You have to be technologically savvy to do these have to be technologically savvy to do these kinds of things. I had no knowledge of this kinds of things. I had no knowledge of this prior to class, and this affects millions of prior to class, and this affects millions of people in the US.people in the US.””
Student ReflectionStudent Reflection
““It is too much to expect people to become It is too much to expect people to become digital citizens right away. It is part of a digital citizens right away. It is part of a process . . . spending time with a Drake process . . . spending time with a Drake student or on their own. When you spend student or on their own. When you spend more time on the Internet, you realize you more time on the Internet, you realize you can look up any possible thing, or any small can look up any possible thing, or any small question you ever wondered about. Help question you ever wondered about. Help finding this information is important as far finding this information is important as far as digital citizenship. Clients are used to not as digital citizenship. Clients are used to not having everything at their fingertips, you having everything at their fingertips, you have to show them that they do.”have to show them that they do.”
Overview of ResearchOverview of Research
Two major research questionsTwo major research questions1) How do race and education 1) How do race and education influence attitudes toward influence attitudes toward information technology?information technology?2) What are the effects of these 2) What are the effects of these attitudes on digital government? attitudes on digital government?
Data & MethodsData & Methods
SampleSample Mail survey administered to randomly selected Mail survey administered to randomly selected
adults in a moderate-size Midwestern city in 2002adults in a moderate-size Midwestern city in 2002 Treatment GroupTreatment Group
Selected from a low-income urban populationSelected from a low-income urban population Received a brochure inviting them to attend free Received a brochure inviting them to attend free
computer classescomputer classes Remaining participants formed a control groupRemaining participants formed a control group Response rate was very lowResponse rate was very low
3% (n = 66) from treatment group, 6% (n = 101) 3% (n = 66) from treatment group, 6% (n = 101) from control groupfrom control group
Measures & AnalysisMeasures & Analysis
Survey instrument measuresSurvey instrument measures Desire for Computer SkillsDesire for Computer Skills Technological Information PowerTechnological Information Power Computer UseComputer Use Digital GovernmentDigital Government Computer Access EquityComputer Access Equity
Factor analysisFactor analysis Structural equation model (LISREL Structural equation model (LISREL
8.30)8.30)
Reduced ModelReduced Model-
+
++ +
-
+
++
Education
Race
Desire for Computer
Skills
Technological Information
Power
Digital Government
Computer Access Equity
Computer Use
Χ2 (11) = 12.61 (p = .35)
GFI = .98
AGFI = .94
NFI = .90
Preliminary FindingsPreliminary Findings
As education declines, desire for computer As education declines, desire for computer skills increasesskills increases
Individuals with higher levels of education are Individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to use computers at home and more likely to use computers at home and workwork
Non-whites are more likely to report Non-whites are more likely to report technological information key to empowermenttechnological information key to empowerment
Non-Whites show greater interest in learning Non-Whites show greater interest in learning computer skillscomputer skills
Non-Whites more likely to suggest that Non-Whites more likely to suggest that computers should be accessible to all citizenscomputers should be accessible to all citizens
Interest in developing computer skills is Interest in developing computer skills is positively associated with digital citizenshippositively associated with digital citizenship
Viewing technology as a source of Viewing technology as a source of informational power is positively related to informational power is positively related to digital government digital government
Technological informational power increases Technological informational power increases beliefs in computer access equitybeliefs in computer access equity
The path model demonstrates some predictors The path model demonstrates some predictors may have an intervening effect on outcomesmay have an intervening effect on outcomes These indirect effects are marginalThese indirect effects are marginal
An indirect effect was found between race and An indirect effect was found between race and computer access equity through technological computer access equity through technological information powerinformation power Direct effect accounted for 78% of the total effect Direct effect accounted for 78% of the total effect
Education decreased support for digital Education decreased support for digital government through desire for computer skills government through desire for computer skills
Effect of race on digital government influenced Effect of race on digital government influenced by technological information power by technological information power Less so through desire for computer skillsLess so through desire for computer skills
Conclusions to DateConclusions to Date
Community members, particularly in Community members, particularly in economically and racially vulnerable economically and racially vulnerable groups, lack basic computer skillsgroups, lack basic computer skills Educationally advantaged groups report Educationally advantaged groups report
greater use of computers in their daily livesgreater use of computers in their daily lives Citizens must have a baseline of ITL to Citizens must have a baseline of ITL to
take advantage of Internet accesstake advantage of Internet access Information technology appears to be widening Information technology appears to be widening
the gap between the IT literate and those the gap between the IT literate and those without basic navigational skillswithout basic navigational skills
Conclusions to Date Conclusions to Date (continued)(continued)
Non-Whites are significantly more likely to Non-Whites are significantly more likely to believe informational technology is a believe informational technology is a valuable source of powervaluable source of power Translates into a somewhat greater belief in Translates into a somewhat greater belief in
computer access equitycomputer access equity Non-Whites report significantly more Non-Whites report significantly more
desire than do Whites for equal access to desire than do Whites for equal access to computers and the Internetcomputers and the Internet
Positive attitudes toward technology, an Positive attitudes toward technology, an intervening variable, correlate with intervening variable, correlate with respondents being more likely to report a respondents being more likely to report a need to provide computers to the publicneed to provide computers to the public
Conclusions to Date Conclusions to Date (continued)(continued)
There is a direct linkage between a desire for There is a direct linkage between a desire for computer proficiency and digital citizenshipcomputer proficiency and digital citizenship Education only a minor influence on this outcome Education only a minor influence on this outcome
Potentially, service-learning is a well-suited Potentially, service-learning is a well-suited intervention to bridge the divide between intervention to bridge the divide between disenfranchised groups and digital citizenrydisenfranchised groups and digital citizenry Quasi-experimental assessments of the effects of Quasi-experimental assessments of the effects of
service learning interventions on ITL are underwayservice learning interventions on ITL are underway
Future ResearchFuture Research
National CATI Survey (3 states) by ISU’s National CATI Survey (3 states) by ISU’s Center for Survey Statistics and Center for Survey Statistics and MethodologyMethodology Colorado, Iowa, PennsylvaniaColorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania Larger sample sizeLarger sample size RandomizationRandomization Expanded and refined questionnaireExpanded and refined questionnaire More elaborate models possibleMore elaborate models possible
But, still a low response rateBut, still a low response rate
Overview of CATI National Overview of CATI National SurveySurvey
Some Preliminary Results Some Preliminary Results from the CATI National from the CATI National
SurveySurvey How often do you vote in state and How often do you vote in state and
national elections?national elections? ““Always”Always”
61.4% for those with a home computer61.4% for those with a home computer 53.3% for those without a home computer53.3% for those without a home computer
““Never”Never” 8.0% for those with a home computer8.0% for those with a home computer 19.3% for those without a home computer19.3% for those without a home computer
How often do you vote in local How often do you vote in local elections?elections? ““Always”Always”
40.4% for those with a home computer40.4% for those with a home computer 44.5% for those without a home computer44.5% for those without a home computer
““Never”Never” 12.5% for those with a home computer12.5% for those with a home computer 23.4% for those without a home computer23.4% for those without a home computer
Extent of political participationExtent of political participation ““A great deal”A great deal”
3.2% for those with a home computer3.2% for those with a home computer 2.9% for those without a home computer2.9% for those without a home computer
““Not at all”Not at all” 25.5% for those with a home computer25.5% for those with a home computer 40.1% for those without a home computer40.1% for those without a home computer
Email is a good way to contact officialsEmail is a good way to contact officials ““Strongly Agree”Strongly Agree”
19.6% of those using a computer at work19.6% of those using a computer at work 13.7% of those not using a computer at work13.7% of those not using a computer at work 17.3% of those who do not work17.3% of those who do not work
““Strongly Disagree”Strongly Disagree” 0% of those using a computer at work0% of those using a computer at work 1.8% of those not using a computer at work1.8% of those not using a computer at work 11.5% of those who do not work11.5% of those who do not work
Email is a good way to contact officialsEmail is a good way to contact officials ““Strongly Agree”Strongly Agree”
19.5% of those with a home computer19.5% of those with a home computer 10.8% of those without a home computer10.8% of those without a home computer
““Strongly Disagree”Strongly Disagree” 1.2% of those with a home computer1.2% of those with a home computer 3.3% of those without a home computer3.3% of those without a home computer
Computers should be made available to Computers should be made available to the general publicthe general public
““Strongly Agree”Strongly Agree” 48.7% of those using a computer at work48.7% of those using a computer at work 31.9% of those not using a computer at work31.9% of those not using a computer at work 38.9% of those who do not work38.9% of those who do not work
““Strongly Disagree”Strongly Disagree” 0.4% of those using a computer at work0.4% of those using a computer at work 0% of those not using a computer at work0% of those not using a computer at work 0% of those who do not work0% of those who do not work
Computers should be made available Computers should be made available to the general publicto the general public
““Strongly Agree”Strongly Agree” 47.5% of those with a home computer47.5% of those with a home computer 24.6% of those without a home computer24.6% of those without a home computer
““Strongly Disagree”Strongly Disagree” 0.3% of those with a home computer0.3% of those with a home computer 0% of those without a home computer0% of those without a home computer
Elections should be held on the InternetElections should be held on the Internet ““Strongly Agree”Strongly Agree”
5.3% of those using a computer at work5.3% of those using a computer at work 1.1% of those not using a computer at work1.1% of those not using a computer at work 3.8% of those who do not work3.8% of those who do not work
““Strongly Disagree”Strongly Disagree” 19.7% of those using a computer at work19.7% of those using a computer at work 20.7% of those not using a computer at work20.7% of those not using a computer at work 32.1% of those who do not work32.1% of those who do not work
