IGF 2020 WS #242 Digital gap boost - unexpected post-pandemic effect?

Subtheme

Organizer 1: Olga Budziszewska, ISOC Poland

Speaker 1: Olga Budziszewska, Civil Society, Eastern European Group
Speaker 2: Olga Budziszewska, Civil Society, Eastern European Group
Speaker 3: Katarzyna Szwedor, Intergovernmental Organization, Eastern European Group

Moderator

Olga Budziszewska, Civil Society, Eastern European Group

Online Moderator

Olga Budziszewska, Civil Society, Eastern European Group

Rapporteur

Olga Budziszewska, Civil Society, Eastern European Group

Format

Debate - Classroom - 90 Min

Policy Question(s)

3) Accessibility & Policy for Social Inclusion Topics: Gender, Disability, Refugees, Minorities, Design for Inclusion Example: How do we manage ICT implementation ensuring social inclusion and preventing disruptions in the life of communities that may harm their social convenience, or increase previously existent inequality gaps? 4) Digital Literacy, Capacity Development, and the Future of Work Topics: Digital Skills, Capacity Building, Digital Transformation Example: How can we better utilize primary and secondary schools and tertiary educational facilities to promote and to deliver on digital literacy to their communities and should digital literacy be the fourth pillar of education, alongside reading, writing and maths?

Has the pandemic widened the digital gap? How can we minimize negative effects of mass transition to remote education in perspective of limited access to the Internet and devices? What is the scale of digital gap - compering pre and post pandemic time? Can we predict how digital gap will impact future development and career paths? What decision were made by the government and local entities to minimize negative effect? What is the role of technology providers? How can we scale up remote education with limited tech-pro teachers resources?

SDGs

GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities

Description:

Isolation has divided humanity in a zero-one way: some of us have access to advanced techlologies and devices, others are still cut off for technical, social, mental other reasons.

Expected Outcomes

As follow up we expect to build basis, directions and recommendation for broad cooperation between government, NGO, education, tech providers, social scientist to limit negative effect of digital gap in education which went out of control because of pandemic challenge.

As Internet Society Poland Chapter we will engage our partners to encourage in participation. The chosen topic is very important for all social groups: employees, parents, teachers - that's why governments and edu organizations are actively seeking effective ways how to approach digital gap challenge.

Relevance to Internet Governance: Internet Governance significantly impact digital gap. On each level: governmental, educational, social and technology

Relevance to Theme: From digital gap there is only one step to digital inclusion. Before the pandemic challenge, we had a vision to close the gap step by step. We didn't expect that in such a short time all of the educational activities, with no exceptions, we will need to run on-line. This situation seriously impacted digital gap. Those who didn't have access to the Internet, literally lost access to all education resources.

Online Participation

 

Usage of IGF Official Tool. Additional Tools proposed: We will use zoom as a platform to video conference recording. This will allow us to distribute recording and truck activities as follow up of the panel.