How state and local governments can close the digital divide in education with fast, affordable connectivity

Education and the Digital Divide: Closing the Gap with 5G Connectivity

The Importance of Internet Access in Education

Education has long served as the key to unlocking economic progress and social mobility. However, unequal access to digital tools has created a large gap between children who have access to fast, reliable internet connectivity in school and at home and those who don’t.

The internet has become an important channel for delivering learning, with many teachers incorporating online applications into classroom instruction. Some teachers use software to monitor student work, allowing them to spot problems sooner and provide extra help to those who need it. At home, students need the internet to complete assignments and work on collaborative projects.

According to National Education Association President Becky Pringle, “We know that access to the internet is essential for learning. No matter where students live, it is critical for conducting research, doing homework, and, when school buildings are closed, attending class.”

The Digital Divide and the Sustainable Development Goals

1. Nearly 17 million children, many of whom are underprivileged or live in rural areas, lack adequate internet access at home.
2. Nearly half of these children attend schools that do not meet the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) connectivity benchmark of 1 Mbps per student.

The digital divide will only grow worse as AI and immersive technologies take on a greater role in education. Interactive lessons and videos reinforce lessons by engaging children through their senses. AI algorithms help personalize learning, suggesting settings and resources that suit the individual needs as students work. In addition, students need to become adept at using AI and other internet tools to thrive in higher education and in the workplace.

Closing the digital divide may require resources and expertise beyond the means of many school systems. Engaging in public-private partnerships can make a big difference, as the Rock Island Milan School District in Illinois learned during the pandemic.

Case Study: Rock Island Milan School District

• When schools shut down, nearly 80% of the Rock Island district’s students had no access to home internet.
• The district worked with Source, Inc., Cradlepoint, and Verizon to obtain devices and WiFi routers, quickly deploying them in school buildings and homes throughout the district.
• The entire project took just three weeks to complete.

To continue their schoolwork, students simply plugged in their devices and connected to the district’s network. Their preconfigured routers contain a built-in path to 5G connectivity, preparing them for future AI and immersive learning applications.

The Role of 5G Connectivity in Closing the Digital Divide

As 5G networks evolve, they are expected to handle 10 to 100 times more capacity than 4G systems. That could someday make augmented and virtual reality applications a regular part of the curriculum. Schools can attain the speed, low latency, and reliability they need to offer these capabilities to all students – even those in rural areas – with 5G fixed wireless business internet service.

Because it doesn’t require cables or fiber to be installed in every home, 5G wireless broadband internet is available at a reasonable cost virtually anywhere. Schools that wish to avoid connection to the public internet may want to consider a private 5G network, which enables the use of advanced access and security controls.

Conclusion: Closing the Digital Divide with 5G Connectivity

By providing fast, reliable, secure, and cost-effective 5G connectivity for all, schools can close the digital divide and help prepare students for a technologically advanced future. Districts may apply for federal funding for modernizing their technology through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article addresses the issues of unequal access to digital tools in education, which is connected to SDG 4 on Quality Education. It also discusses the need for infrastructure and technological advancements in education, which is connected to SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. The article highlights the digital divide and the importance of reducing inequalities in access to education, which is connected to SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities. Lastly, the article mentions the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing these issues, which is connected to SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
• Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.
• Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
• Target 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are related to ensuring equitable access to quality education (Target 4.1), increasing access to information and communications technology (Target 9.c), reducing inequalities (Target 10.2), and promoting partnerships for technology and innovation (Target 17.6).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
• Indicator 4.c.1: Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre-primary; (b) primary; and (c) secondary education who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g., pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country.
• Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology.
• Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 17.6.1: Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and programmes between countries, by type of cooperation.

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, based on the identified targets, the following indicators can be used to measure progress: Indicator 4.1.1 for measuring learning outcomes, Indicator 4.c.1 for measuring teacher training, Indicator 9.c.1 for measuring access to mobile networks, Indicator 10.2.1 for measuring income inequality, and Indicator 17.6.1 for measuring science and technology cooperation agreements.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators