The digital divide continues to hold students back

Key points:

Student access to technology has improved over time, although it continues to vary by family income categories and racial and ethnic groups, according to technology-at-Home-and-School-2024-07.pdf” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>A new study published today by ACTa provider of assessments, research and job-readiness credentials. And most students (70 percent) are concerned about having enough money to purchase the technology needed for college.

“While there has been some progress in high school students’ access to the internet and technology devices since ACT first investigated the digital divide in 2018, internet and device access for students with lower household incomes lags behind that of students with higher household incomes,” said Jeff Schiel, Ph.D., senior research scientist at ACT and author of the report. “There’s also a troubling new finding: nearly three-quarters of students are worried about not being able to afford the technology they need for college.”

The new report, technology-at-Home-and-School-2024-07.pdf”>How high school students use and perceive technology at home and at schoolexamines high school students' access to and use of technology and how access and use vary across student groups. The study follows research that ACT published six years ago, The digital divide and educational equity.

Nearly all high school students (96 percent) reported having access to a smartphone at home, and 87 percent had access to a laptop. However, students from higher-income families were significantly more likely than those from lower-income families to report having access to desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones at home. Gains across all income groups indicate that more students are now connected, but disparities in technology access remain significant.

“A large number of students reported being at least moderately confident in using technology devices to search for information for school assignments. However, students from higher-income families expressed greater confidence and were more likely to trust the information they found online compared to their peers from lower-income families,” Dr. Schiel added. “Speaking of trust, in another recent study, we found that many students did not use ai tools because they did not trust the information they provided. As ai and digital content become increasingly prevalent, ensuring that students can critically evaluate and trust the information they consume will be important for their academic and professional success.”

Students’ household income category was also significantly related to home Internet access. Seventy percent of students with low household incomes (less than $36,000 per year) reported having a monthly cellular data plan for home Internet access, compared to 64 percent of students with moderate household incomes ($36,000 to $100,000 per year) and 58 percent of students with high household incomes (more than $100,000 per year). This indicates that lower-income students are more likely to rely solely on cellular data plans and lack access to more robust and stable Internet options, such as broadband.

“As technology becomes increasingly integral to student learning, the persistence of the digital divide means that disparities in access continue to prevent students from engaging in online learning and completing assignments,” said Janet Godwin, executive director of ACT. “This gap could also impact students’ ability to develop digital literacy skills, which are essential to preparing them for the challenges of consuming content in an ai-driven world. We are seeing progress in critical areas of technology access compared to our 2018 findings, but it is not enough to bridge this gap. We must prioritize ensuring equitable technology and quality internet access for all students to support their future success in a digital world.”

The report is based on a survey conducted in December 2023 of ACT test takers nationwide.

Key results:

• Students from higher-income families were more likely to have access to desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones at home. Ninety-two percent of students with high household incomes reported owning laptops, compared with 88 percent of students from moderate-income families and 76 percent of those from low-income families.
• The percentage of students with low household incomes who had access to two, three, or four devices at home was 10 percentage points higher than in 2018 (82 percent vs. 72 percent, respectively). The percentage of students with moderate household incomes who had access to two, three, or four devices at home increased from 86 percent to 93 percent, representing a gain of 7 percentage points.
• Black and Hispanic students were more likely to access the Internet through monthly cellular data plans (67 percent and 66 percent) than Asian and white students (56 percent and 58 percent).
• Telephone access was more common among black and Hispanic students (5 percent and 4 percent) than among Asian and white students (3 percent and 2 percent).

This press release Originally appeared online.

Laura Ascione is the editorial director of eSchool Media. She holds a degree from the prestigious Philip Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

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