Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Senior Thesis

Degree

Bachelor of Arts

Primary Major

Global Public Health

Second Major

Social Justice

Thesis Advisor

Michaela George, PhD and Jennifer Lucko, PhD

Community Partner(s)

Parent Services Project

Abstract

The gap between those Americans who use or have access to ICTs and those who do not is referred to as the digital divide (PACEs, 2002). The pandemic has increased dependence on technology and exacerbated the digital divide, which perpetuates existing systems of racism and poverty (Early et al., 2021). In this study, a mixed-method approach was conducted to understand what digital literacy skills parents need to overcome the digital divide and support their child's education. Specifically, the study explored how the program Impact Technology training has affected parents' involvement with their child's education. There were 175 Latinx parents that received digital literacy training with Impact Technology. Pre and post-surveys from 2021-2022 were used to conduct a linear regression and paired sample t-tests. Six qualitative interviews were also conducted with parents to understand the impacts of the digital literacy classes. After comparing means the quantitative data showed that the intervention had a large effect size, and that parents need digital literacy training in addition to access to computers and technology. Qualitative data revealed three central themes in parents’ experiences, Impact Technology not only improved parents' digital literacy skills but also led to improvement in other aspects of their well-being; positive class experiences led to greater motivation to pursue further training in ICTs; and despite the success of the training, there is a continued need for the school district to remove technological barriers that are perpetuating a system of educational inequity.

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