Equity and Equality Perspectives to Promoting Digital inclusion in Higher Education

Abstract

Given the continuing pandemic context, examining the issue of digital inclusion is both timely and significant. Using equity and equality perspectives, we examine the extent to which digital inclusion policies have improved students’ access to digital technologies and promoted digital inclusion in an Australian university. Grounded in Adams’ Equity Theory and Espinoza’s, Equality and Equity Conceptual Model, we share our findings from a mixed methods study of a survey of 284 undergraduate students and interviews with 15 staff members and 9 students. While students shared their experiences of undertaking an undergraduate university degree, teaching and support staff shared their views on the design, development and support experience of undergraduate students’ digital literacy. The findings suggest the critical need to promote a better understanding of equity and equality perspectives across key stakeholders in higher education institutions during policymaking, particularly on resource allocation to promote digital inclusion.