Examining the contemporary digital divide of university students with specific reference to students with special educational needs

Lebeničnik, Maja (avtor), Istenič, Andreja (avtor)

The contemporary digital divide is characterised by the uneven distribution of access to information communication technology (ICT), originating in the different motivation, physical access and skills of users. We synthesised existing theories and frameworks to develop and then empirically validate a theoretical model to predict university students' use of online learning resources (OLRs) at the crossroads of formal and informal learning. Because access to digital content may be a bigger issue for students with special educational needs (SEN), we also examined OLR use among this group. Fifty-six students with SEN and 1642 mainstream students participated in the survey. Our main conclusions are as follows. In the whole sample, personal socio-cognitive factors (beliefs, self-efficacy) are the only significant predictors of OLR use. The results suggest that motivational and skills-related differences between students contribute more to the digital divide than do either differences related to unpleasant environmental conditions (eg, inaccessibility, high prices, etc.) or personal context (eg, study-fit, learning preferences, etc.). Separate regressions show that beliefs were significant predictors for both SEN students and their peers, while self-efficacy was a significant predictor for the mainstream students only. Measuring unpleasant environmental factors as a continuum (environmental and contextual barriers) explained OLRs better than solely differentiating between SEN and mainstream students.The contemporary digital divide is characterised by the uneven distribution of access to information communication technology (ICT), originating in the different motivation, physical access and skills of users. We synthesised existing theories and frameworks to develop and then empirically validate a theoretical model to predict university students' use of online learning resources (OLRs) at the crossroads of formal and informal learning. Because access to digital content may be a bigger issue for students with special educational needs (SEN), we also examined OLR use among this group. Fifty-six students with SEN and 1642 mainstream students participated in the survey. Our main conclusions are as follows. In the whole sample, personal socio-cognitive factors (beliefs, self-efficacy) are the only significant predictors of OLR use. The results suggest that motivational and skills-related differences between students contribute more to the digital divide than do either differences related to unpleasant environmental conditions (eg, inaccessibility, high prices, etc.) or personal context (eg, study-fit, learning preferences, etc.). Separate regressions show that beliefs were significant predictors for both SEN students and their peers, while self-efficacy was a significant predictor for the mainstream students only. Measuring unpleasant environmental factors as a continuum (environmental and contextual barriers) explained OLRs better than solely differentiating between SEN and mainstream students.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: higher education, Slovenia, computer assisted leraning, teaching, on-line learning resources, digital divide, accessibility, special educational needs, social cognitive theory
• Vrsta gradiva: Znanstveno delo (r2)
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FGG - Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo
• Leto izida: 2020
• Status objave pri reviji: Objavljeno
• Verzija članka: Postprint, avtorjeva končna recenzirana različica članka, sprejeta v objavo
• Št. strani: Str. 1-20
• Številčenje: Letn. 0, št. 0
• UDK: 004.5: 378
• ISSN pri članku: 1467-8535
• DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12920
• COBISS.SI-ID: 9100897
• Datum objave v RUL: 08.06.2020

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno-Brez predelav 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Najbolj omejujoča licenca Creative Commons. Uporabniki lahko prenesejo in delijo delo v nekomercialne namene in ga ne smejo uporabiti za nobene druge namene.
• Začetek licenciranja: 08.06.2020

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: visokošolsko izobraževanje, Slovenija, računalniško podprto učenje, poučevanje, spletni učni viri, digitalni razkorak, dostopnost, posebne izobraževalne potrebe, socialno kognitivna teorija

Gradivo je financirano iz projekta

• Financer: ARRS - Agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije (ARRS)
• Številka projekta: 6316-3/2011-784 - mentor MR