University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing
Abstract
Global school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a universal shift towards technology-augmented education. This transference of learning platforms revealed both the potential and the challenges of implementing digital tools for learning worldwide. This meta-analysis examines the digital divide between developed and developing countries and how this divide disrupts the learning for students with disabilities, those living in poverty and extreme poverty as well as for those who live in remote areas. It concentrates on how technology has been used to surmount educational disparities, predominantly within the marginalized groups of students with disabilities, individuals in poverty, and those living in rural areas. Technology was principally used as an enhancement to traditional instructional methods, pre-pandemic. However, during COVID-19, technology, in all formats, became the fundamental means to conserve educational continuity. This research emphasizes the disparities in infrastructure, access, and implementation of technology across all socio-economic contexts, demonstrating the implications of educational technology in fostering inclusive education while identifying significant gaps that remain. The principal findings stress that efficacious technology-driven education requires more than just access. It mandates wide-ranging teacher training, equitable policies, and a reflective methodology for implementation. This meta-analysis affords expertise on how the reflections of COVID-19 can influence future educational decisions and strategies in developing and developed nations, contributing to recommendations for bridging the digital divide in a post-pandemic world.
DOI
https://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781955833127
Recommended Citation
King, J., & Gotte, E. (2024). Bridging the digital divide in developing and developed countries: A meta-analysis. In W. B. James, C. Cobanoglu, & M. Cavusoglu (Eds.), Advances in global education and research (Vol. 5, pp. 1–12). USF M3 Publishing. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/9781955833127
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
