Understanding the impact of the digital divide on South African students in higher educational institutions

Abstract

The integration of technology into educational systems has brought about changes in the style of teaching and learning. Nowadays, educational institutions are adopting technologies such as computers, and the Internet to enhance teaching and learning activities. However, the use of technologies has not served the intended purpose due to the digital divide. The digital divide refers to the gap between individuals with access and skills to use technology and those without such access and skills. Students who grew up using computers and related technologies are often at an advantage because they have sufficient technological skills to capitalize on technology for learning purposes. This study investigated the factors affecting students’ computer self-efficacy prior to joining the university as well as the challenges faced by first-year students while using technology for learning purpose. It examined the effects of the apartheid legacy and other factors contributing to the digital divide in the South African context. A quantitative methodology was employed, and 370 questionnaires were distributed to first-year students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The result showed that the timing of access to technology and computer anxiety have a direct relationship with a student’s computer self-efficacy. The result also showed that students from disadvantaged schools experience challenges with the hardware components of computers and application programmes. The article concludes with recommendations on how these challenges could be managed.