Digital Divide in Science Education: The Role of Technology Access and Skills in Supporting Underserved Students

Abstract

Introduction: the Digital Divide (DD), refers to the gap among persons with varying levels of access to technology and digital skills, which significantly impacts educational outcomes. Method: the research examines the impact of technology access and skills on underserved students, focusing on challenges they face in utilizing online learning and digital instruction through a cross-sectional survey of 479 university students. These factors were analyzed to identify how it supports or impede science learning. The descriptive and inferential statistics were used to evaluate responses. Variables, such as device ownership, Internet reliability, prior Online Learning (OL) experience, and technological skill levels were analyzed using regression and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) models using International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) statistics version 17.0 to identify patterns and disparities. Results: the findings revealed significant disparities in technology access and skills, with underserved students reporting lower device ownership and limited digital competence. With p-values of 0,0001 for device ownership, internet dependability, and technological proficiency, and a p-value of 0,004 for previous OL experience, the regression analysis demonstrated significant connections between all factors and OL engagement. ANOVA findings showed a p-value of 0,002 for the between-group variance, indicating significant differences between groups. Conclusions: technological inequities in online science courses negatively impact underserved students, necessitating targeted institutional support and skill-building programs to improve learning outcomes and ensure equitable educational opportunities.