04-001-US The Future of Learning (Part 1)

"The Digital Divide and COVID-19." The study by Emily Green, Laura Fong, and Di Xu examined teachers' perceptions of the digital divide and Internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on student learning in distance education. To accomplish this, researchers conducted an online survey of 688 California teachers who taught a wide range of subjects and grade levels. The survey included questions on the following topics.

• First. Teachers' perceptions of their students' Internet quality and accessibility.

• Second. The challenges students face to participate in distance education.

• Third. Teacher perceptions of student participation and achievement in distance education.

• Fourth. Teacher perceptions of the support students need to successfully participate in distance education.

The main findings of the study were as follows.

• First. Teachers reported that a significant proportion of their students had difficulty accessing the Internet and having sufficient Internet speed to participate in distance learning. • Second. Teachers indicated that students from low-income families and students living in rural areas were particularly disadvantaged when it came to accessing the Internet and participating in distance learning.

• Third. Teachers also observed lower student participation and performance in distance education, especially among students with inadequate Internet access.

• Fourth. The study emphasizes the need to improve access to the Internet and digital resources for all students to ensure equal opportunities in education.

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