ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana

Open and distance learning (ODL) has created room for the emergence of virtual education. Not only are students found everywhere and anywhere undertaking their studies and earning their degrees, but geographical boundaries between nations no longer appear to have much relevance. As the new educatio...

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Autores principales:	Olugbade Oladokun, Lenrie Aina
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Athabasca University Press 2011
Materias:	distance learners digital divide information environment ICTs library/librarian internet service providers (ISP) Special aspects of education LC8-6691
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/428c1ecacddc41fb98c79468533f3802
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:428c1ecacddc41fb98c79468533f38022021-12-02T19:25:21ZODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana10.19173/irrodl.v12i6.10531492-3831https://doaj.org/article/428c1ecacddc41fb98c79468533f38022011-10-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1053https://doaj.org/toc/1492-3831 Open and distance learning (ODL) has created room for the emergence of virtual education. Not only are students found everywhere and anywhere undertaking their studies and earning their degrees, but geographical boundaries between nations no longer appear to have much relevance. As the new education paradigm irretrievably alters the way teaching and learning is conducted, the application of modern educational ICTs has a major role to play. With students of transnational or cross-border education dispersed into various nooks and crannies of Botswana, many others enlist for the “home-baked” distance learning programmes from their diverse locations. Like the face-to-face conventional students, distance learners also have information needs which have to be met. But blocking the distance learners’ realization of their information needs is the digital divide, which further marginalizes the underclass of “info-poor.” The survey method was used, and a questionnaire administered to 519 students of four tertiary level distance teaching institutions that met the criteria set for the study yielded a 70.1% response rate. The results showed that while the Government of Botswana has made considerable effort to ensure country-wide access to ICT, which now constitutes an effective instrument for meeting information needs, a number of problems still exist. The factors impeding easy access are unearthed. The findings of an empirical study portraying some learners as information-rich and others, information-poor, and the consequence of distance learners studying on both sides of the digital divide, are discussed. Suggestions on bridging the digital divide are offered. Olugbade OladokunLenrie AinaAthabasca University Pressarticledistance learnersdigital divideinformation environmentICTslibrary/librarianinternet service providers (ISP)Special aspects of educationLC8-6691ENInternational Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, Vol 12, Iss 6 (2011)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	distance learners digital divide information environment ICTs library/librarian internet service providers (ISP) Special aspects of education LC8-6691
spellingShingle	distance learners digital divide information environment ICTs library/librarian internet service providers (ISP) Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Olugbade Oladokun Lenrie Aina ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana
description	Open and distance learning (ODL) has created room for the emergence of virtual education. Not only are students found everywhere and anywhere undertaking their studies and earning their degrees, but geographical boundaries between nations no longer appear to have much relevance. As the new education paradigm irretrievably alters the way teaching and learning is conducted, the application of modern educational ICTs has a major role to play. With students of transnational or cross-border education dispersed into various nooks and crannies of Botswana, many others enlist for the “home-baked” distance learning programmes from their diverse locations. Like the face-to-face conventional students, distance learners also have information needs which have to be met. But blocking the distance learners’ realization of their information needs is the digital divide, which further marginalizes the underclass of “info-poor.” The survey method was used, and a questionnaire administered to 519 students of four tertiary level distance teaching institutions that met the criteria set for the study yielded a 70.1% response rate. The results showed that while the Government of Botswana has made considerable effort to ensure country-wide access to ICT, which now constitutes an effective instrument for meeting information needs, a number of problems still exist. The factors impeding easy access are unearthed. The findings of an empirical study portraying some learners as information-rich and others, information-poor, and the consequence of distance learners studying on both sides of the digital divide, are discussed. Suggestions on bridging the digital divide are offered.
format	article
author	Olugbade Oladokun Lenrie Aina
author_facet	Olugbade Oladokun Lenrie Aina
author_sort	Olugbade Oladokun
title	ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana
title_short	ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana
title_full	ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana
title_fullStr	ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana
title_full_unstemmed	ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana
title_sort	odl and the impact of digital divide on information access in botswana
publisher	Athabasca University Press
publishDate	2011
url	https://doaj.org/article/428c1ecacddc41fb98c79468533f3802
work_keys_str_mv	AT olugbadeoladokun odlandtheimpactofdigitaldivideoninformationaccessinbotswana AT lenrieaina odlandtheimpactofdigitaldivideoninformationaccessinbotswana
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ODL and the impact of digital divide on information access in Botswana

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