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Michael Furdyk
Joined: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 307 (view all)
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Gender & Age: Male & 38
Country: Canada
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City: Toronto
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Digital vs. Context Divide
Apr 19, 2001
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The real problem, and the one that I think TIG will help to solve, is the context divide. In the
process of "closing the digital divide", most solutions are simply dumping computers into
areas, without sustainable mechanisms in place to ensure they get maintained and also are useful.
What are your experiences with the digital divide?
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MJ
Joined: Nov 11, 2000
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Re: Digital vs. Context Divide
May 8, 2001
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I'm not quite sure what the divide is. It could be something that is relevant to what one
experiences in their life.
If it is, I think that technology has moved to quickly for average people to catch on. Schools
cannot keep up with the growth and speed of technology.
So in essence technology is creating it's own divide where eventually it will be too far ahead of
it's time and will have to self-sustain itself until the masses are able to catch on, catch up or
cop out.
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Terri Willard
Joined: Jul 27, 2001
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Defining what TIG means by digital divide
Dec 7, 2001
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I think it's time to re-open the earlier discussion re: what we mean by the digital divide... I had
a great discussion with Mike and Jenn last week on why we need to establish the scope of work on
something like a digitaldivide.takingitglobal.org site/view. There are at least 3 different
perspectives we could choose from:
1) Focus on improving access to information and communication technologies plus the training to use
them
2) Focus on harnessing the power of information and communications technologies and global networks
to assure opportunity, empowerment and inclusion for all (in economic, social and political spheres
of life)
3) Focus on expanding participation of all stakeholders in the production, dissemination, and use
of knowledge and information so as to achieve sustainable development
Different groups use different terms for each (digital divide, digital opportunities, global
knowledge, etc.) so I've refrained from attaching a term to any of these.
Before we get too far (or could raise any $$ to support TIG activities), I'd love feedback from more
people on what you are most interested in....
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Terri Willard
Joined: Jul 27, 2001
Posts: 369 (view all)
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Re: Digital vs. Context Divide
Dec 7, 2001
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To add a bit more information into the discussion, the following is part of a message that Sam
LanFranco sent to the GKD (Global Knowledge for Development) list yesterday. It has touched off
some of the most honest reflection I've seen yet on the GKD list. He has given his permission for
cross-posting here...
-------------
<snip>
It is worth recalling that the language of the Digital Divide sprang into our vocabulary after the
Group of Eight meeting in Japan counld not reach agreement on their key agenda item, that being debt
reduction for heavily indebted poor countries. Like schooling fish following a crazed leader the
entire development community re-set its compass to that new navigational star.
This of course came as quite a shock to those of us who had been working on the challenges of ICTs
and Development for the previous two decades. But, we had seen it before and there was no surprise.
There is also little surprise to realize how little serious reflection has taken place with regard
to what the digital divide means. Do we close it by closing the gap, by bridging the gap, by what
and why?
To keep this short and simple, consider the following. What is the cost of closing the
"transportation divide", the fact that some people have access to transportation and its
benefits and that others do not. Does this mean "Cars for All?" Of course not. Does it
mean "Bus Tokens for All?" Of course not. What does it mean. It usually means what can be
done with transportation, as in intermediate instrument variable, to improve the conditions of life
for some groups, usually the poor.
The same applies to the digital divide. Does it mean "Computers, Access or Connectivity for
All?" It shouldn't but for some it seems to. If we measure success by access and connectivity
we comit the mistake, well recognized in medical research of confusing efficacy with efficiency.
They goal is to make the lives of some (usually the poor) better. If we try this by placing
computers in the schools where the poor are not even students our efficacy may look great, and our
costs will be high, but our efficiency in terms of the degree to which we attain our ultimate goal
will be low. If we ask how might we use computers to increase the eductional achievements of the
poor, a question where the answer might be to put them in telecentres where groups of local teachers
are brought together for skills training, our costs are much lower but our efficiency is much
higher.
Just as "Cars for All" doesn't make sense to solve the problems of physical distance and
the poor, anything that confuses efficacy with efficiency in the deployment of ICT for development
doesn't make sense. <snip>
Sam Lanfranco
Distributed Knowledge
York University
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