Bits or Baubles: The Opportunities for Broadband to Add Value to Education and Learning

Abstract

It is recognised that issues persist concerning the digital divide, and the importance of gender and cultural differences in Internet use. The uptake and use of broadband (and the Internet in general) is not simply related to education, age, or income. Because the innovative and entrepreneurial uses tend to be individual, there has been little dissemination of new ideas and good practice. From considerable research in e-learning and e-business we recognise that a much greater attention to the design of online activities is required at the outset. Solutions that simply try to copy offline practices to the online environment are fated to be less successful. There is a lack of strategic coordination in planning for the adoption and application of broadband in almost every sector (schools, higher education, health, public and voluntary