Educational Inequality: The Role of Digital Learning Resources

Abstract

The digital technologies employed in education have skyrocketed due to widespread online learning during the pandemic. Subsequently, the recent development has brought into question whether new digital learning resources online tools that students can use to supplement their learning challenge the century-old class inequality in education. As we return to face-to-face learning, it is critical to evaluate whether digital resources can be combined with conventional school resources to uplift students' academic achievement in low-income households. The methods of literature review of past papers and theoretical investigation are applied in this paper to discuss empirical observations and offer explanations. Sources of materials include the United States Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. By synthesizing classical Bourdieus theory of capital and a nascent digital pedagogical framework, the author finds that, contrary to popular clamor, digital learning resources are not benefiting the lower class significantly. In fact, digital inequality is emerging from three compounding factors: access, surroundings, and the self. By discussing the learning environment, parents' background, self-regulation, and motivation, this paper not only underscores the interacting components that amount to the corruption of meritocratic education but also advances the inquiry into online resources and possible future pathways for the empowerment of low-income students.