Ηλεκτρονικά μαθήματα και ψηφιακό χάσμα στο πανεπιστήμιο

Abstract

In recent decades, a great deal of educational research is focused on the digital divide. This is because the national educational policies are interested in integration of ICTs as well as in promotion of asynchronous learning on higher education. This paper is based on review on relevant international literature and data from a quantitative survey conducted to students from humanities and social sciences. The purpose of this survey is to investigate the relationship between social class and students’ perceptions for on line courses. The survey data evidence that social class differentiates the reasons for using internet and their perceptions for online courses. All students use the Internet primarily for participation in social networks and entertainment and less for educational purposes. Most students have positive perceptions of online courses, but these vary with the frequency of internet use and social class. This study highlights that the digital divide exists, which grows as while asynchronous distance learning is widely used and the number of online courses increases. It has a negative impact on students from lower social classes, especially during the economic crisis. Higher education institutions need to implement policies to bridge the digital divide which has serious effects on students’ experiences and their future career paths.