Aluta continua! digital divide experiences of South African township high school learners during COVID-19 hard lockdown

Mxatule, Akhona

Aluta continua! digital divide experiences of South African township high school learners during COVID-19 hard lockdown

Thesis / Dissertation

2024

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Sociology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This research emphasises that the digital divide is a significant human development issue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the stringent lockdown measures accentuated the challenges faced by many underserved learners in transitioning to remote education due to limited access to digital resources and reliable internet. This study investigated how the COVID-19 hard lockdown period magnified the digital divide experiences of a group of high school learners from Cape Town's Khayelitsha Township. The investigation further revealed the extent to which learners from working-class households could overcome challenges they faced in the context of their education. Understanding the structural problems and the learners' agency from their perspective provides educators and policymakers with valuable insights, which can inform future interventions to address the digital divide. Amartya Sen's Capability Approach facilitated my people-centred examination of the digital divide. Sen's theoretical framework helped reveal that while access to Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) is a crucial step, it alone is insufficient for development. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the capacity to effectively utilise ICTs and transform information into actionable knowledge for comprehensive development is paramount. Therefore, the digital divide extends beyond mere access and literacy, representing a broader developmental challenge that deprives many under-resourced communities of essential capabilities in a world that is increasingly dominated by ICTs. Utilizing a single case study approach, this research interrogates the digital divide as a human development issue. Data collection methods involved documentary analysis, a key informant interview, and a focus group discussion with six high school learners from a Khayelitsha township school. Miles and Huberman's thematic coding approach was used in the data analysis. The findings reveal some contextual nuances in the learners' experiences of unequal access to devices and the Internet, affordability disparities, and varying levels of ICT usage. This study underscores the vulnerabilities of marginalized learners and identifies opportunities that learners create for themselves within the digital divide. This research provides insights into the multifaceted nature of the digital divide within the educational landscape. The study further emphasizes the urgent need for collaborative and coordinated efforts from among stakeholders, including the Department of Basic Education, teachers, learners, parents, the private sector, and civil society, to implement people-centred and tailored intervention strategies informed by a nuanced understanding of the digital divide.