The Participation Gap

This participation gap that exists within the digital native population is the more specific problem that the digital divide is a part of. As Palfrey and Gasser write in Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives, "The biggest concern...is the impact of the participation gap. The digital world offers new opportunities to those who know how to avail themselves of them” (15). It is evident that the digital world holds within it vast opportunities for those who know how to use it; the real problem is how to reach the users that do not have the inclination or training to participate in this digital world. Studies show that the problem is more complex than users having access or not, the “digital divide” is only one part of the participation gap. Palfrey and Gasser continue by stating:

In the past, many have worried about the "digital divide," the separation between those with access to the network and those without access. This is a persistent problem, but it's not the whole problem. The harder issue arises when you realize that access to the technologies are not enough. Young people need to learn digital literacy--the skills to navigate this complicated, hybrid world that their peers are growing up in. This type of inequality must be overcome. The costs of leaving the participation gap unaddressed over time will be higher than we should be willing to bear. (15)

Yael Enoch and Zeev Soker also address this problem in their 2006 paper entitled “Age, Gender, Ethnicity and the Digital Divide: University Students’ Use of Web-based Instruction. They state, “This distinction [between those who have and those who do not have access to the Internet] assumes that mere access to computer, whether at home, at work or in a public library, will automatically generate learning and development” (Enoch 101). The reasons why some students do not utilize technology, whether they have access or do not, varies. Some students “suffer from computer-anxiety, others lack computer literacy or have no access to informal network of advice and support” (Enoch 101). Additionally, according to Claude Steel, a Stanford psychology, some students might suffer from what they call "stereotype threat." “According to their research, a student who feels he is part of a group that has been negatively stereotyped is likely to perform less well in a situation in which he thinks that people might evaluate him through that stereotype than in a situation in which he feels no such pressure” (Frontline). This “stereotype threat” affects how students perform academically, on standardized tests, and how they engage in their education; additionally, although it is created by the perception of a negative stereotype, it also creates behavior that is viewed negatively thus perpetuating the stereotype, which impacts how teachers and peers view these students. This addresses the idea that participation within an institutionalized organization has many, often conflicting, factors to consider. It is not enough to have a sincere desire to help people; it is not enough to buy computers, “but fail to develop coherent plans for implementation, support, and professional development of teachers to integrate technology into the classroom” (Valdez 33). Librarians and educators must address the underlying reasons why users do not participate and do not engage with technology. Using technology should always be used to enhance existing systems of education—and not replace it because a complete transition will inadvertently alienate those who are not proficient users of technology.

While the introduction of WBI [Web Based Instruction]…has played a significant part in the expansion of its student base, it has at the same time, inadvertently of course, brought about the exclusion of certain students. These students could, in principle, quite easily gain access to a computer and the Internet but apparently they have reservations when it comes to using the modern technologies for study purposes or have not acquired the necessary skills to use them. (Enoch 107)
In order to create more access, educational institutions, including libraries, must address these cultural factors to ensure technology is not leaving people behind—people who, often, are those who have been historically marginalized within our society. According to NTIA:
Race or ethnic origin is a likely factor in determining who has access to computers and the Internet…many race or origin groups are losing ground in computer and Internet connectivity when compared to the progress of Whites and those of Asian/Pacific Island descent. When holding income constant, Black and Hispanic households are still far less likely to have Internet access. (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/digitaldivide/factsheets/racial-divide.htm)
Students that are unguided and untrained on using technology, some who feel a “stereotype threat,” fall into this participation gap. The continuation of this gap will continuously manifest itself in their lives in countless ways and with greater social implications hindering future opportunities for these students.