Building Bridges: 2024 NETP’s Role in Digital Inclusion

The United States Department of Education recently released a call to action for bridging the rapidly expanding digital divide. Technology has quickly become integral to education, so the urgency should come as no surprise. Can the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan help the U.S. education system prepare for a technology-centric future?

The Department Has Addressed Digital Inclusion

The Office of Educational Technology released its 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) in January — the first revision since 2016. While previous iterations provided an overview of the country’s education system, this one mainly focuses on the state of digital transformation.

Technology like virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT) have the potential to permanently and dramatically reshape the U.S. education system. Already, it looks much different than it did a few years ago — students have gone from physically handing in handwritten tests to digitally submitting assignments from the comfort of their homes.

The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan reevaluates the role of digitization in modern-day schools, focusing on how inequitable technology utilization could impact learning outcomes. It addresses three barriers that make up the digital divide, giving states, districts and schools the knowledge to navigate a widespread transformation.

The 3 Types of Digital Divides

The department identified and defined three digital divides impacting the U.S. education system.

The Digital Access Divide

The digital access divide separates those with access to devices and telecommunication networks from those without. While 97% of people in urban areas have high-speed internet access, only 65% of those living in rural areas do. This issue affects the accessibility of distance education, in-class participation, e-learning and technology-reliant homework.

The Digital Use Divide

The digital use divide separates those who meaningfully leverage technology from those who don’t. Students who use it passively — meaning for participation without engagement — don’t get the same benefits as those who actively utilize it. Sociodemographic barriers and a lack of digital literacy are some of the main contributing factors.

The Digital Design Divide

The digital design divide separates educators from systems of support. Many don’t know how to leverage technology effectively and have no safety net to turn to for help. Even if students can consistently access and use devices effectively, this divide can still affect their learning outcomes.

How Bad Is the Digital Divide?

Many industry professionals have been preoccupied with the potential of educational technology. While possible use cases and benefits consumed their attention, they neglected to consider the logistics of widespread implementation.

The digital divide’s severity changes depending on sociodemographic factors like age, gender, income level and location. For instance, while 44% of people living in urban areas say they have multiple devices that connect to the internet, only 30% of those in rural regions can say the same.

For the most part, minorities, low-income families, rural populations and older adults are more likely to experience the effects of the digital divide. Fortunately, the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan seeks to address this complex, broad issue by providing in-depth recommendations for decision-makers.

How Does the Digital Divide Impact Education?

The digital access divide impacts participation. Naturally, people who don’t have access to technology won’t be able to be involved in class, submit assignments or work on homework like their peers. Whether this results in missed deadlines or poor grades depends on a student’s situation. However, the effect is always negative.

Students impacted by the digital use divide won’t get as much out of a technology-driven education as they could. Although innovations like artificial intelligence and the IoT can be extraordinarily powerful educational tools, they often fail to meet their potential because they’re shoved into the existing curriculum without care.

The digital design divide is more complicated since it varies from class to class. One college student experienced this situation firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said a few professors held virtual office hours, some posted assignments online and others hosted videoconferences. Apparently, this disorderliness didn’t effectively engage her or her peers.

How the NETP Urges Action

The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan is a call to action for states, districts, schools and educators to prioritize digital inclusion. Fortunately, it provides guidance to streamline the process.

Improve Connectivity and Accessibility

Schools should set policies around device purchasing, use and disposal to ensure they get the most out of their education technology budget. In the event that accessibility is out of their control, they should source help from others. For instance, since high-speed internet options are largely unavailable in rural areas, they should leverage partnerships and community outreach.

Strengthen Digital Literacy Among Students

Students who learn what effective utilization looks like can get more out of their tools. Digital literacy guidance can help them connect with their peers, think critically about use cases and actively explore applications, enabling them to take full advantage of the latest technologies.

Develop Support Systems for Educators

The National Educational Technology Plan is clear — educators should take on co-designer roles to shape education technology and improve learning outcomes. They’ll achieve better results if they evaluate their competency, enhance their digital literacy and source student feedback. Of course, they also need technical support from an administrative level to succeed.

Will the NETP Bridge the Digital Divide?

With the help of the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan, schools have the power to bridge the digital divide in the U.S. education system, fostering widespread digital inclusion. Naturally, industry professionals won’t see noticeable change for some time — the plan was released in January, after all — but it will likely have a marked effect on many school districts.

The Office of Educational Technology has even highlighted various success stories for schools to model. For instance, it showcased how one school in Mississippi bridged the digital use divide by launching a news network to encourage active technology use while keeping students informed about events.

Bridging the digital divide becomes increasingly important as technology’s presence in schools expands. As the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan stresses, states, districts, schools and educators must come together to enact strategic change. While small-scale accomplishments are easily achievable, widespread success stories will only be possible through collaboration and standardization.

The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan’s Impact

The bottom line is that education technology can only benefit every student in the U.S. if it becomes widely accessible and practical. Policymakers and decision-makers at the state and administrative levels that use the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan’s recommendations to bridge the digital divide will have a greater chance of fostering digital inclusion.

Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine, an online publication that explores innovations in science and technology.