Digital Literacy to Bridge the Gender Digital Divide: a Phenomenographic Study of The

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Digital Literacy to Bridge the Gender Digital Divide: a Phenomenographic Study of The Digital Literacy to Bridge the Gender Digital Divide: A Phenomenographic Study of the Digital Diversity for Arab Graduate Women in the United States A dissertation presented to the faculty of The Patton College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Heyam F. Abo Alasrar April 2017 © 2017 Heyam F. Abo Alasrar. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Digital Literacy to Bridge the Gender Digital Divide: A Phenomenographic Study of the Digital Diversity for the Arab Graduate Women in the United States by HEYAM F. ABO ALASRAR has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and The Patton College of Education by Teresa J Franklin Professor Emerita of Educational Studies Renée A. Middleton Dean, The Patton College of Education 3 Abstract ABO ALASRAR, HEYAM F., Ph.D., April 2017, Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology Digital Literacy to Bridge the Gender Digital Divide: A Phenomenographic Study of the Digital Diversity for the Arab Graduate Women in the United States Director of Dissertation: Teresa J. Franklin The digital divide exists worldwide. One of the forms of the digital divide is the gender digital divide: the unequal access of Internet use among men and women. Typically, women are perceived as less capable of gaining digital skills. Through a phenomenographic approach, the researcher conducted an empirical and interpretative inquiry to map the qualitatively different ways in which Arab women in the United States understand the use of technology in their lives, the skills needed for technology use, and how they define a digitally literate person. The study also explored their relation with technology and compared their experiences in using technology in the United States to their experience in their home country. The purpose of this study was to show the variation in women’s perception of technology and to understand how to design strategies that can bridge the gender digital gap in the Arab world. Twenty women from different colleges at a Midwestern university were interviewed. Semi-structured questions were used to help women reflect on their experiences with technology. The data analysis formed five qualitatively different categories that described the ways Arab graduate women experienced the use of technology. These five categories described digital literacy as: a basic need, a contextual need, a need to connect, a life style, and as an awareness of 4 the Internet culture. The categories describe digital literacy as understood by those women and what skills, from their perspective, a digital person should possess. 5 Dedication To my parents who did their best to provide me with good education, to my sister and my coach who always believed in me, to my loving and caring husband, and to my precious daughters: thank you all, I would have never reached this point without your love, support, and prayers. 6 Acknowledgments I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my advisor and committee chair, Dr. Teresa Franklin, for her continuous support through my dissertation and my doctoral journey. She was a great mentor and a source of inspiration. I would like to acknowledge the members of my committee, Dr. David Moore, Dr. Greg Kessler, and Dr. Danielle Dani for their support and feedback. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all who participated in this study and generously shared their valuable time and experience. I would like to thank all my family members and friends for their love and support. 7 Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... 6 List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 16 List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 17 Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 18 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 18 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................................... 21 Research Question ................................................................................................ 24 Research Methodology ......................................................................................... 24 Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................... 25 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................... 25 Limitations ............................................................................................................ 26 Delimitations ......................................................................................................... 26 Definition of Terms ............................................................................................... 27 Summary ............................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 32 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 32 8 Digital Divide ........................................................................................................ 33 New form of the digital divide. ................................................................... 35 Divide in technology skills. ......................................................................... 36 Gender digital divide. .................................................................................. 36 Types of Technology ............................................................................................ 38 Levels of Digital Divide ........................................................................................ 39 Impact of Digital Divide on Women .................................................................... 40 Divide in the system. ................................................................................... 40 Connect women to their needs. ................................................................... 41 Different technology to different needs. ..................................................... 43 Digital Divide in the Arab World ......................................................................... 44 Overview. .................................................................................................... 44 ICTs in the Arab world. ............................................................................... 44 Connectivity and Internet penetration. ........................................................ 45 Internet use in the Arab world. .................................................................... 46 Arab women. ............................................................................................... 48 Studies in the Digital Divide in the Arab World ................................................... 49 Mentoring and training opportunities. ......................................................... 50 Technology, gender, and stereotype. ........................................................... 51 9 Gender discrimination. ................................................................................ 52 Promising virtual world. .............................................................................. 53 Cyber activism ............................................................................................. 54 Digital literacy. ............................................................................................ 55 Digitally literate person. .............................................................................. 56 Globalization, Migration and Information Technology ........................................ 57 Globalization. .............................................................................................. 57 Migration. .................................................................................................... 58 Migration and ICTs. .................................................................................... 60 International students’ migration. ............................................................... 61 Migration and gender. ................................................................................. 64 Gender and digital skills. ............................................................................. 66 Migration begins by imagination. ............................................................... 68 ICTs and digital inequality. ......................................................................... 69 Appropriateness of ICTs. ............................................................................ 69 ICTs impact on relations. ...........................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Digital Literacy Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable
    www.ssoar.info Digital Literacy Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Development Radovanović, Danica; Holst, Christine; Belur, Sarbani Banerjee; Srivastava, Ritu; Houngbonon, Georges Vivien; Le Quentrec, Erwan; Miliza, Josephine; Winkler, Andrea S.; Noll, Josef Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Radovanović, D., Holst, C., Belur, S. B., Srivastava, R., Houngbonon, G. V., Le Quentrec, E., ... Noll, J. (2020). Digital Literacy Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Development. Social Inclusion, 8(2), 151-167. https:// doi.org/10.17645/si.v8i2.2587 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer CC BY Lizenz (Namensnennung) zur This document is made available under a CC BY Licence Verfügung gestellt. Nähere Auskünfte zu den CC-Lizenzen finden (Attribution). For more Information see: Sie hier: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de Social Inclusion (ISSN: 2183–2803) 2020, Volume 8, Issue 2, Pages 151–167 DOI: 10.17645/si.v8i2.2587 Article Digital Literacy Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Development Danica Radovanović 1,*, Christine Holst 2, Sarbani Banerjee Belur 3,4, Ritu Srivastava 4, Georges Vivien Houngbonon 5, Erwan Le Quentrec 5, Josephine Miliza 6, Andrea S. Winkler 7 and Josef Noll 8 1 Basic Internet Foundation, 2007 Kjeller, Norway; E-Mail: [email protected] 2 Centre for Global Health, Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis on Digital Literacy Level of Faculty of Sports Science Students
    Asian Journal of Education and Training Vol. 6, No. 2, 117-121, 2020 ISSN(E): 2519-5387 DOI: 10.20448/journal.522.2020.62.117.121 © 2020 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group An Analysis on Digital Literacy Level of Faculty of Sports Science Students Mehmet Haluk Sivrikaya Atatürk University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Turkey. Abstract The study aims to examine the digital literacy levels of students in the faculty of sports sciences. In the study group; there are 394 students (105 female and 289 male) studying in the departments of Physical Education and Sports Teaching, Sports Management, Coaching and Recreation of the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Atatürk University in the 2018-2019 academic year. “Digital Literacy Scale (DLS) is a scale, which was developed by Ng (2012) and translated into Turkish by Hamutoğlu, Güngören, Uyanık, and Erdoğan (2017) and it is composed of 17 items and 4 factors (attitude, technique, cognitive and social). Nonparametric tests (Kruskal Wallis, Mann-Whitney U) were used to analyse the data of the study. According to the findings; digital literacy levels of the participating students differ significantly in social sub-dimension in respect of gender variation. In the social sub-dimension of digital literacy scale, digital literacy levels of male students were higher than female students. Keywords: Digital age, Digital literacy, Sports science students. Citation | Mehmet Haluk Sivrikaya (2020). An Analysis on Digital Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Literacy Level of Faculty of Sports Science Students. Asian Journal Competing Interests: The author declares that there are no conflicts of of Education and Training, 6(2): 117-121.
    [Show full text]
  • What We Know About the Gender Digital Divide for Girls: a Literature Review
    UNICEF Gender and Innovation Evidence briefs - Insights into the gender digital divide for girls What we know about the gender digital divide for girls: A literature review UNICEF Gender and Innovation Evidence briefs - Insights into the gender digital divide for girls What we know about the gender digital divide for girls: A literature review Alexandra Tyers-Chowdhury and Gerda Binder UNICEF Introduction 3 The current evidence base 5 Closing the gender digital divide 18 What we know about the gender digital divide for girls: A literature review Introduction What is digital technology? Digital technologies are and applications; old and electronic tools, systems, new systems of media, devices and resources that communication and information; generate, store or process connected devices and data. Digital technologies environments; virtual and are continually evolving augmented reality; artificial and expanding. They intelligence, including machine include the internet and learning; robotics; automated mobile technologies; digital systems and data analytics; and networks, content, services biometrics and biotechnology. Online experiences and Digital literacy is increasingly opportunities are critical seen as an essential skill for for children’s and young employability and has been people’s development across linked to higher earning a wide range of areas. These potential and new economic include engagement in online opportunities.2 education, both formal and informal learning, access to Over 90% of jobs worldwide have critical information and support 3 related to health and well- a digital component. being, participation in creative However, distinct geographic, and cultural practices, civic economic, and social gaps in engagement and expression access persist, including those of ideas and opinions, leisure related to disability and gender.4 and connecting with peers, Closing the digital divide for and searching for employment, all children needs tailored career information and understanding and actions for entrepreneurship opportunities.1 each of these barriers.
    [Show full text]
  • Pioneering Responsive and Iterative
    Student engagement in K-12 online learning amid COVID-19: A qualitative approach from a self-determination theory perspective To cite this article: Thomas K. F. Chiu (2021): Student engagement in K-12 online learning amid COVID-19: A qualitative approach from a self-determination theory perspective, Interactive Learning Environments, DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2021.1926289 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1926289 Student engagement in online learning Abstract During the pandemic, school and university students had to urgently move away from traditional classrooms to online learning in their homes. Student engagement that can be explained by self-determination theory (SDT) is important in online learning. Indeed, the founders of SDT recently stated that SDT-based future research should look closely at how to satisfy the basic needs in the theory in technology enhanced learning environments. We also know very little about K-12 student engagement in online learning. Therefore, this qualitative study used the SDT as a framework to understand K-12 school student engagement and disengagement in online learning. It used a thematic analysis to analyse interview data from 36 students and 18 teachers. The findings highlight that (i) online learning environments that supported more autonomy were more likely to engage students cognitively in developing two important lifelong skills of digital literacy and self-regulated learning; and (ii) those environments that lacked emotional attachment, equipment and resources, coupled with perceived digital incompetence and ineffective learning experience of the students suppressed cognitive and emotional engagement. Hence, this study suggests how to satisfy the need for competence and relatedness to prepare and implement online learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Literacy and Citizenship in the 21St Century Educating, Empowering, and Protecting America’S Kids a Common Sense Media White Paper
    Digital Literacy and Citizenship in the 21st Century Educating, Empowering, and Protecting America’s Kids A Common Sense Media White Paper March 2011 / Common Sense Media Adults may see it as digital life – but to kids, it’s “just life.” Welcome to their world. » 93% of kids 12 to 17 are online 1 » More than 35 hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute 2 » A majority of teens view their cell phone as the key to their social life 3 » If Facebook were a country, it would be the third most populous in the world 4 1 Pew Internet and American Life Project, “Generations Online in 2009.” 2 YouTube Blog, “Great Scott! Over 35 Hours of Video Uploaded Every Minute to YouTube,” November 10, 2010. 3 CTIA – The Wireless Association and Harris Interactive, “Teenagers: A Generation Unplugged,” September 12, 2008. 4 San Francisco Chronicle, “The Many Facets of Facebook,” January 1, 2011. What Is Digital Life? Digital life describes the media world that our kids inhabit 24/7 – online, on mobile phones and other devices, and anywhere media is displayed. By definition, digital media is participatory. Users can create content, and anything created in this digital life becomes instantly replicable and viewable by vast invisible audiences. Kids use digital media to socialize, do their homework, express themselves, and connect to the world. New technologies give our kids unprecedented powers of creation and communication, making the world more accessible at earlier and earlier ages. The Need for Digital Literacy and Citizenship This dynamic new world requires new comprehension and communication skills – as well as new codes of conduct – to ensure that these powerful media and technologies are used responsibly and ethically.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Literacy
    From Handbook of Effective Literacy Instruction: Research-Based Practice K–8. Edited by Barbara M. Taylor and Nell K. Duke. Copyright 2013 by The Guilford Press. All rights reserved. CHA PTER 7 Digital Literacy SUSAN WAttS TAFFE LAURIE B. BAUER Technology has always had a strong influence on teaching and learning, as it has influ- enced all other aspects of our lives and world. The technology of graphite pencils, the printing press, the mimeograph machine, and the overhead projector all changed the way we approached literacy teaching and learning. After all, each of these is an exam- ple of technology at work—and, in its time, each was a new technology at that. Today, the new technologies most strongly influencing teaching and learning are the Internet and related information and communication technologies (ICTs), including weblogs (or blogs), wikis, podcasts, discussion boards, and streaming video. However, Leu and his colleagues contend that today’s new technologies are very different from those of the past. They are so different that they are changing the very nature of what it means to be literate and, by extension, the very nature of what it means to be a literacy teacher (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004). According to Coiro, Knobel, Lanskhear, and Leu (2008a): The Internet . has brought unprecedented dimensions to both the speed and the scale of change in the technologies for literacy, forcing us to directly confront the issue of new literacies. No previous technology for literacy has been adopted by so many, in so many different places, in such a short period, and with such profound consequences.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Divide, Digital Literacy, Digital Inclusion, and Public Libraries [Needs Better Title]
    This article is downloaded from http://researchoutput.csu.edu.au It is the paper published as: Author: P. T. Jaeger, J. Carlo Bertot, K. M. Thompson, S. M. Katz and E. J. DeCoster Title: Digital divides, digital literacy, digital inclusion, and public libraries. Journal: Public Library Quarterly ISSN: 0161-6846 1541-1540 Year: 2012 Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-20 Abstract: The terms digital divide, digital literacy, and digital inclusion have been widely used in discourse related to the Internet over the past two decades; however, these terms are rarely defined, and their meanings seem to shift with changes in technology. Yet, these concepts have driven many Internet- related policy decisions. This paper bridges the concepts and related policies with the efforts of public libraries to provide Internet education, access, and assistance. Following an examination of the meanings assigned to these terms and policy efforts based on these concepts of the digital divide, digital literacy, and digital inclusion, this paper examines the roles of public libraries related to the concepts and the ways in which these roles have been shaped by policies that impact access to information which is increasingly embedded within a range of technologies. The paper then explores the ways in which policy could better support public libraries in these roles and the ways that these roles can contribute to public library advocacy and a voice in policy-making. URLs: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2012.654728 http://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/R/-?func=dbin- jump-full&object_id=40502&local_base=GEN01-CSU01 Author Address: [email protected] CRO Number: 40502 1 Digital Divides, Digital Literacy, Digital Inclusion, and Public Libraries: The Intersection of Public Policy and Public Access Paul T.
    [Show full text]
  • How Online Privacy Literacy Supports Self-Data Protection and Self-Determination in the Age of Information
    Media and Communication (ISSN: 2183–2439) 2020, Volume 8, Issue 2, Pages 258–269 DOI: 10.17645/mac.v8i2.2855 Article How Online Privacy Literacy Supports Self-Data Protection and Self-Determination in the Age of Information Philipp K. Masur Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; E-Mail: [email protected] Submitted: 30 January 2020 | Accepted: 18 March 2020 | Published: 23 June 2020 Abstract Current debates on online privacy are rooted in liberal theory. Accordingly, privacy is often regarded as a form of freedom from social, economic, and institutional influences. Such a negative perspective on privacy, however, focuses too much on how individuals can be protected or can protect themselves, instead of challenging the necessity of protection itself. In this article, I argue that increasing online privacy literacy not only empowers individuals to achieve (a necessarily limited) form of negative privacy, but has the potential to facilitate a privacy deliberation process in which individuals become agents of social change that could lead to conditions of positive privacy and informational self-determination. To this end, I propose a four-dimensional model of online privacy literacy that encompasses factual privacy knowledge, privacy-related reflection abilities, privacy and data protection skills, and critical privacy literacy. I then outline how this combination of knowledge, abilities, and skills 1) enables to individuals to protect themselves against some horizontal and vertical privacy intrusions and 2) motivates individuals to critically challenge the social structures and power relations that necessitate the need for protection in the first place. Understanding these processes, as well as critically engaging with the normative premises and implications of the predominant negative concepts of privacy, offers a more nuanced direction for future research on online privacy literacy and privacy in general.
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of Digital Literacy in Social Media for Indonesian Netizen
    The Importance of Digital Literacy in Social Media for Indonesian Netizen Nadya Bela Pratiwi Jati Suwito 1 and Zamzani 2 {[email protected] 1, [email protected] 2} 1,2Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia Abstract. Social media is a powerful tool for updating knowledge, news, and events that occur faster than television. The importance of digital literacy is a powerful stick for fighting rampant social media crime. There are many ways to prevent bad things from happening to social media users. The purpose of this article is to explain the importance of digital literacy for the general public, especially Indonesia. The recent incident with junior high school students was a sad portrait of social media. Evil comments seem to be a natural thing found in every news about them. The lack of attitude in cyberspace is the homework of today's generation. Things like this are not only in Indonesia, almost all the world experiences it and must be reminded often that the polite and polite attitude in the world can be applied. Low awareness of the "code of ethics" social media becomes a complex problem and the need for learning and early application to the current generation in particular. This article uses documentation research and reviews online news content about events on social media. The result is that people, Indonesia in particular, are still not very good at dealing with viral things on the internet. Keywords : social media, digital literacy, Indonesian netizen 1. INTRODUCTION Social media in the digital era has become a normal thing for people today.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Literacy Strands and Standards
    STRANDS AND STANDARDS DIGITAL LITERACY Course Description This course is a foundation to the digital world that provides a broad understanding of key applications, computing fundamentals, and living online. Students will have opportunities to use technology and develop skills that promote creativity, critical thinking, productivity, and collaboration in the classroom and day-to-day life. This course is aligned with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) for Students, the K-12 Computer Science Standards, and industry standards for Digital Literacy Certification. The alignment of these national and international benchmarks will ensure that students complete this course as a prerequisite to transition successfully to the 9-12th grade digital studies courses. ADA Compliant: August 2020 DIGITAL LITERACY Pilot Year 2020-2021 Effective School Year 2021-2022 Intended Grade Level 7 or 8 Units of Credit 0.50 Core Code 32.02.00.00.170 Concurrent Enrollment Core Code None Prerequisite None Skill Certification Test Number None Test Weight None License Area of Concentration CTE and/or Secondary Education 6-12 Required Endorsement(s) Endorsement 1 Business and Marketing (CTE/General) Endorsement 2 Business and Marketing Basics Endorsement 3 Business and Marketing Info Management L1 Endorsement 4 College and Career Awareness/Digital Literacy Endorsement 5 Intro to Computer Science Endorsement 6 Programming and Software Development 2 | Page Revised: June 2020 DIGITAL LITERACY STRAND 1 (Keyboarding Efficiency) Students will enhance keyboarding skills. This strand will be incorporated throughout the course. Standard 1 Students will enhance and demonstrate proper key by touch skills and keyboarding techniques. • Sit up straight. • Feet flat on the floor.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Literacy and History Teaching
    Sue Watling and Jamie Wood, University of Lincoln http://makingdigitalhistory.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/ Digital literacy and History teaching What is digital literacy? Digital literacy (or literacies) is not just connected to study at university, but is essential to all areas of an individual’s online persona: an individual’s confidence and competence with email, word- processing and presentation programmes (e.g. MS Word and PowerPoint); the different ways individuals and groups interact with Social Media (e.g. Facebook and Twitter); and awareness of the different ‘digital footprints’ created by (public and visible) use of the Internet. At university there are many different types of digital environments. Libraries include digitised resources such as e-books and e-journals. Lecturers use institutional Virtual Learning Environments (or VLEs, explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_learning_environment), such as Blackboard (http://www.blackboard.com/) and Moddle (https://moodle.org/), to support their teaching and student learning. Digital literacy thus encompasses the ability of students (and lecturers) to make use of these tools effectively. Digital literacy, critical thinking and the Internet Most of the tools just mentioned are deployed on the Internet, so it is obviously important that students are competent in their use of different online platforms. But there is also a vast range of information on the Internet, much of which is not subject to quality control, and an important aspect of digital literacy is therefore being able to tell the difference between knowledge, information and personal opinion. Search engines like Google can help to filter information, especially when students make use of advanced search capabilities (http://www.google.com/advanced_search) and ‘Boolean’ search protocols (explained here: http://www.ukop.co.uk/help_boolean_search.aspx).
    [Show full text]
  • Promoting Digital Literacy Among Students and Educators
    Connected Learning: A Primer for State Policymakers Fourth of four reports Promoting Digital Literacy Among Students and Educators BY SUNNY DEYE Students today are expected to learn and apply skills that differ greatly from those for previous generations, including flexible communication and collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking and problem-solving. In the 2011 book, A New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown describe the kind of learning necessary in this new environment as “whitewater learning”—the ability to acquire useful knowledge and skills while at the same time practicing them in an environment that is constantly evolving and presenting new challenges. This kind of knowledge is often put to use while it is being learned. Digital technology is becoming an increasingly • Digital literacy refers to fluency in the use critical tool in providing students and educa- and security of interactive digital tools tors with a personalized learning experience and searchable networks. This literacy in- that takes advantage of resources and op- cludes the ability to use these tools safely portunities both inside and outside the school and effectively for learning, collaborating building. Digital technology and media provide and producing. It also protects against new opportunities for students and educators network-based crime such as phishing to pursue their interests and find educational and malicious hacking. resources, experiences and courses any time and any place, including schools, libraries, mu- • Social-emotional literacy, as defined by seums and community centers. As these or- the Collaborative for Academic, Social, ganizations invest in 21st century technology and Emotional Learning (CASEL), refers to the ability to understand and manage upgrades, they must ensure that students and emotions, set and achieve positive goals, educators have a set of “digital age literacies” feel and show empathy for others, and that enable them not only to take full advan- make responsible decisions.
    [Show full text]