Internet Use by Secondary School Students: A Digital Divide in Sustainable Societies?

Francisco Javier Ballesta Pagán, Josefina Lozano Martínez and Mari Carmen Cerezo Máiquez
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Francisco Javier Ballesta Pagán: Departamento de Didáctica y Organización Escolar, Facultad de Educación, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Josefina Lozano Martínez: Departamento de Didáctica y Organización Escolar, Facultad de Educación, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Mari Carmen Cerezo Máiquez: Departamento de Didáctica y Organización Escolar, Facultad de Educación, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: Although the use of the Internet is generalised, its potential as a teaching tool is rarely taken into account. At the same time, there exists a digital divide affecting vulnerable or disadvantaged groups: students of foreign origin and students with special educational needs. It is necessary to identify how inequality can be overcome to reach the objectives set by the United Nations regarding sustainable forms of development for education and to foster more inclusive and egalitarian societies. In this research with students aged 12–16, the objective was to establish profiles according to gender, social class, ethnic background and educational special needs. We used a mixed methodological design, applying a questionnaire to 2734 students from 15 centres and qualitative data collection techniques. We made a descriptive and inferential analysis (SPSS program) and a qualitative data content analysis supported by the “Maxqda” program. The results show that, although most students have Internet access, students of foreign origin and students with special educational needs use this resource less frequently. There are significant differences for gender. Likewise, social divide has an impact on the learning potential of the Internet. Some proposals for improvement are provided, from the framework of the school, with a view to improving socio-educational equity and inclusion in societies in search of a more sustainable form of development.

Keywords: Internet; Secondary Education; use; access; digital divide; gender; students of foreign origin; students with special educational needs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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