The Digital Divide 2.0: Navigating Digital Equity and Health Equity in Education

Educators around the country began to engage in dialogue regarding the digital divide as they recognized the reality that many students did not have access and connectivity as once believed. So a new concept has emerged: “digital equity.” It’s an important idea, and one to which educators and education institutions should pay close attention. Educators and college leaders should build on efforts to expand digital equity and digital inclusion in education by considering the following:

• Create an institution-wide taskforce for identifying short- and long-term community solutions: Educators should focus on providing availability, affordability, and, adoption to their communities and students, as institutions of higher education serve as a critical and neutral partner to lead conversations that affect the health and economic mobility of the communities they serve.
• Find ways to partner with state and local governments leading digital equity efforts to aid in workforce preparedness: The preparedness and sustainability of the American workforce depend on governments and higher education acting now to ensure a digitally accessible, skilled and, equitable future. Institutions of higher education should be aware of their role in assuring a viable and sustainable workforce with a keen focus on digital literacy and inclusion.

[Mordecai I. Brownlee is the president of Community College of Aurora in Aurora, Colorado]