Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

All throughout the last two decades ICT, particularly computer technologies

greatly influenced education and transformed our traditional school setting into a more

innovated one. Education is a powerful instrument in poverty alleviation, and economic

development. Moreover, the integration of learning technologies into every school is

being promoted and supported around the world to better enhance, and to make the

best life and learning for students in today's generation. However, the implementation

have faced a number of limitations. Bridging the gap between people and communities,

with or without access to digital information has become a great problem to our country

(Fletcher, 2009).

The phrase “digital gap” is a roadblock to each and every learner, for the matter

of learning can’t take place because they are stuck. Many schools all over the world

have deployed computer laboratories to increase ICT literacy, however, it is still a

challenge to move beyond teaching basic skills such as typing, and function at a basic

level with computers without good internet access. Overcoming challenges that rural

teachers encounter is central to educational change in South Africa, These are the

problems that urban schools in South Africa consider basic, while their rural

counterparts consider them insurmountable hurdles. These are issues that rural school

have to overcome specifically their needs of having enough computer facilities and

learning to improve their access to quality education (Herselman,2011).

 In recognizing the need for improvements in the use of ICT in education, the

Philippine Government has enacted laws to foster the use of ICT for widening access to

education. Despite of Governments effort, however, access to and use of technology in

public education are still quite limited. There are generally poor levels of access to

computers, peripherals and internet in Metro Manila public and even private schools.

Moreover bridging the digital gap is especially relevant to rural communities here in the

Philippines, where access to the internet is either not available or very costly, aside from

that the number of computer illiterate students all over the country is gradually

increasing, additionally, studenst keep coming through without an ability to deal with a

basic level with computers (Rodriguez, 2010).

The researcher has not come across with a study that is the same with the study

undertaken at present, thus this prompted the researcher to conduct the study to

investigate why students mostly on rural areas don't have enough access nor

knowledge in using computer, and does this phenomenon influences the computer

literacy of students. Everything access is online, anything having to do with the library is

online, and class assignments are online. That is why students should learn at the very

least to be able to turn on a computer and get themselves acquainted with it, but,

because of the need of access to internet and computer illiteracy the whole lack of

knowledge of how computers work is a real roadblock for students, that this paper aims

to address, and most importantly to treat this ever widening gap between students and

computers particularly in remote rural schools. Moreover, this study provided pertinent

and useful recommendations made based on the result of this study.

Research Objectives

This study was designed to determine if Digital gap can influence the computer

literacy of students

Specifically, this study sought,

1. To describe the level of Digital Gap in terms of:

1.1 Socio-economic status;

1.2 Geographic location; and

1.3 Ethnicity.

2. To describe the level of student’s computer literacy, in terms of:

2.1 Web browsing;

2.2 encoding; and

2.3 editing.

3. To find out the significant relationship between Digital gap and the computer

literacy of students

4. To determine what domain would significantly affect student’s computer

literacy.

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance:

[Link] is no significant relationship between Digital gap and the computer

literacy of students.

[Link] is no significant domain that would affect the computer literacy of

students.

Review of Related Literature

 In this section, varied related studies and researches were gathered by the
researcher to clarify doubts and justify the researcher’s point of view. The first topic
being discussed in the related literature is on Digital gap and the second is about the
computer literacy of students. Lastly, the relationship between the independent variable
and the dependent variable which is the digital gap and the computer literacy of
students.

Digital Gap

The digital gap, or the digital split, is an issue referring to the different amount of

information between those who do not have access. The digital divide is not indeed a

clear single gap which divides a society into two groups. Researchers report that

disadvantage can take such forms as lower performance computers, lower quality or

high price connections, difficulty of obtaining technical assistance, and lower access to

subscription-based contents. There is still a lack of data on schools use of ICT, and

computer illiterate students around the country are still numerous. Hence, these gaps

must be sufficiently addressed before ICT can have a significant impact on teaching and

learning in Philippine schools particularly in rural areas which are very much affected by

this so called digital and access gaps (Brooks, 2010)

Furthermore, many of the internet projects require students to communicate with

computers or generally, everything that students must access is on computer.

Furthermore, computer should be part of an integrated teaching system it should be

seen as tool that supports and enhance learning, for a good knowledge on computers

allows students to assist themselves in class activities involving the internet. However,

schools particularly in rural areas, faces different challenges and difficulties in going

beyond using computers (Donner, 2014)

 The principal cause of school problem is the deep and ever widening gap

between schools and society. Society is gradually in progress, while schools remain

stuck with using traditional techniques in teaching. It is already noticeable that society is

changing at an accelerating pace, while school remains wearily stuck with structures

that took form on the 19th century, maybe because Governments attention is really

focused on the development of the society thus leaving the learners behind, when in

fact students in this generation should learn skills and be literate by means of using

computers that are very much needed, for it is very in demand in our generation today

(Markowsky, 2013).

Moreover, a recent study presented evidence and found out that among the 55

nations included in Information Society Index (ISI), the Philippines is ranked 48 th in

terms of preparedness and ability to absorb advances and growth in Information

Communication Technologies (ICT). This study really featured a concrete evidence of

the serious issue in computer education that needs much attention, for if students will

not be engaged in using computers, and then it will be hard for them to be part of a

much larger industry. Moreover computer illiteracy is very evident on public schools

particularly in rural areas whom encounters such problems (Rodriguez, 2010).

Where in relation many schools in provincial areas and rural localities, belongs

to lower socio-economic classes whom are less likely to own a computer and have

internet connection. The social economic status affects the type of content acquired on

the Internet by different groups, with the higher status group typically gravitating towards

information content that might benefit their lives or socioeconomic situation, and or adds

to their existing knowledge base. So the central problem of computer illiteracy is really
distinguished on rural areas. The isolation of rural schools from the urban education

mainstream is another obstacle to overcome (Downes, 2010)

Computer Literacy

Learning styles offer substantial promise to teachers, counselors, and the

students themselves in terms of finding better ways for students to learn. But while

matching learning style with instructional mode apparently facilitates positive

interpersonal relations, and while it would seem to point the way for increased learning,

the empirical data that support this idea are rather scarce. Such a significant gap in the

research must be filled if knowledge about learning styles is to become a significant

force in improving teaching and students learning (Plumb, 2014).

Furthermore, when students engage with computers they will achieve two goals,

first technological, second, pedagogical. On the technological side, students learn to

increase their mastery of tools they may aware of, but may or may not already be using

in the context of their own educational endeavours. While the consumption of

technology remains high among learners today, continuing to utilize these technologies

in productive and creative ways remains a goal, especially within educational contexts,

where other distractions may be reducing students’ educational interest around

technology use (Zickur, 2013).

Moreover, another key challenge in the classroom is bringing technology to the

learner, in ways that they are easily able to make productive use of technology to solve

problem with multitude of technology platforms available. Aside from the fact that

internet accessibility is very rare in provincial areas other schools are gradually coping

up but, because of the students lack of prior skills or knowledge they are most
preferably left behind but most cases school are aggressive in easing and supporting

their students performance in dealing with computers especially that it has been so

noticeable that most students keep coming through in public schools without an ability

to function at a basic level with computers and only the ones with a tremendous amount

of perseverance in learning computers are going to make it through (Malmberg and

Maull 2013).

Additionally, making accommodation to students of differing levels of ability or

knowledge is a favored pedagogical approach used in online learning platforms to

capture struggling learners who are in need of extra reinforcement when presented with

new ideas and concepts. Students really need backups, and classifying students from

those who are capable and not, will help the teacher to relieve the problem (Moller,

2010).

Moreover ,teacher should accompany his/her students in engaging with

computers, in the same way illiterate students can also interact and learn from those

competent students, so in this state students could go along, while exploring the world

of computers. Apart from the disparity of students whom have and doesn’t have enough

knowledge in dealing with computers, the advantage of internet is also very essential,

for students can’t operate well enough without this (Bjork & Linn, 2010).

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on the study of Bennett, (2014) which states that Digital

gap does influence student’s computer literacy in due course. Many studies examine

sub-groups separately to learn if computers affect children differently based on their

geographic location, ethnicity or socio-economic status. The general sense in the

 literature is that computer learning tools can be particularly effective for the

educationally disadvantaged.

Furthermore, Banggert, (2011) stated that the difficulties in using computers are

any basic functions of computers where students experience difficulties, namely in web

browsing, encoding, and editing.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study. The independent variable is the digital gap which refers to

the division between sections of the population who have the access in internet and computers and those who do

not, that affects the literacy of students in terms of modern technologies which is the dependent variable.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Digital Gap Computer Literacy

Socio-economic status Web Browsing

Geographic location Encoding

Ethnicity Editing

Figure 1. The Conceptual Model Showing the Variable of the Study

Significance of the Study

 The findings of this study about Digital gaps and its influence on the computer

literacy of students may serve as basis or may provide insights to School

Administrations, where the said issue about the Digital Gap is very evident. The

researchers aim that the administration also with the help of our local government will

somehow formulate possible aids in bridging the Digital Gap.

The teachers, the researchers intend to give educators the full understanding

and guidance for students to be able to guide them and provide sufficient support in

acquainting them towards learning computers. Furthermore, the results of the study

may eventually benefit the students for it may develop their understanding of their

current situation and in some way will drive them to help themselves to cope up with the

said gaps.

Definition of Terms

The following special terms has been used to suit this study.

Digital Gap. in this study, it is the division between the sections of the world’s

population who have computers and internet access and those who do not.

Computer Literacy. In this study, it is indicted as the capability of students of

using computers in terms of Web browsing, encoding, and editing.