A Step Further in Digital Divide: Information and Strategic Skills of the Academy

Abstract

This research looks at the issues of the educational perspective of the digital divide, specifically focusing on skills and competency of academics. It takes the skills and competency discourse and examines them with empirical data collected from academics. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, it is discussed how the use of academics on education-related digital tools has changed and whether this change has narrowed the digital gap. First, the research explained background information on the digital divide concept and different levels of digital divide. Second, the method of the survey is defined. Third, the demographic data: the academic’s use or capability of education related digital tools before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and the method of adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) tools are explained. Then, the findings of the students’ parallel surveys were presented. The discussionand conclusion part will draw a summary of whether this process has provided solutions to the digital divide by narrowing the gap in information and strategic skills.