Digital Divide

Change Healthcare2017, How Can We Bridge the Engagement Gap?, viewed 9 Aug 2019, <https://www.changehealthcare.com/blog/how-can-we-bridge-the-engagement-gap/>.

Tokyo Odaiba, Tokyo Odaiba Free Wi-Fi, viewed 9 Aug 2019, <https://www.tokyo-odaiba.net/en/wifi/>.

Leave it to Leslie 2014, Aboriginal Family Set of 4, viewed 9 Aug 2109, <https://www.leaveittoleslie.com.au/product/aboriginal-family-set-of-4/>.

I created a digital image which presents the idea of digital divide between digital natives and Aboriginal communities. I found three images on the internet, the first one show someone is trying to bridge the gap of a cliff (Change Healthcare 2018), the second one presents four carton Aboriginal people (Leave it to Leslie 2014) and the third one reveals the use of internet to digital natives (Tokyo Odaiba). Then, I use a retouching software called ‘PicsArt’ on my mobile phone to edit them. Firstly, I upload the cliff picture as my background on ‘PicsArt’. Secondly, I add the carton Aboriginal people picture on my background, and then I cut along the edges of the people’s shape and adjust its size so that it can fit in the left side of the cliff. Finally, I add the picture which shows digital natives and adjust its size to put it on the right size of the cliff. 

Digital divide refers to the gap between digital natives and the people who do not have abilities and skills of using different kinds of technology devices, especiallyAboriginal communities. Rennie et al. (2016) demonstrates that the digital divide between digital natives and Aboriginal communities due to their living conditions and life styles of Aboriginal people. In my image, it presents digital natives have the skills of using the affordances of internet, however most of the Aboriginal people don’t have those abilities. Therefore, it appears a gap between digital natives and Aboriginal communities. On the other hand, people are trying to build a ‘bridge’ to let Aboriginal communities integrate into the digital age. Rennie et al (2016) also illustrates that in order to solve the digital divide, we need to stand on the side of Aboriginal people and think about their conditions and abilities rather than using costly solutions. We can’t ignore the digital divide, thus I believe we should all try our best to address this issue.

References

Change Healthcare2017, How Can We Bridge the Engagement Gap?, viewed 9 Aug 2019, <https://www.changehealthcare.com/blog/how-can-we-bridge-the-engagement-gap/>.

Leave it to Leslie 2014, Aboriginal Family Set of 4, viewed 9 Aug 2109, <https://www.leaveittoleslie.com.au/product/aboriginal-family-set-of-4/>.

Rennie, E., Hogan, E., Gregory, R., Crouch, R., Wright, A. & Thomas, J. 2016, ‘Internet on the Outstation:The Digital Divide and Remote Aboriginal Communities’, Institute of Network Cultures,pp.13-27.

Tokyo Odaiba, Tokyo Odaiba Free Wi-Fi, viewed 9 Aug 2019, <https://www.tokyo-odaiba.net/en/wifi/>.