Locked out of learning: poverty limits access to essential digital skills and tools for youth

New research shows that 80% of Australians believe students in poverty are further disadvantaged when it comes to accessing essential digital resources for classroom participation.

The majority of research participants agreed that digital devices and reliable internet are now fundamental to every child’s education.

The latest Community Attitudes Survey, conducted for The Smith Family, a national children’s education charity, underscores the criticality of digital tools and skills, placing them on par with literacy and numeracy in their importance to a student’s learning journey.

Doug Taylor, CEO of The Smith Family, emphasises the stark impact of poverty on educational outcomes, drawing attention to the widening equity and education gap between students from disadvantaged backgrounds and their more advantaged peers.

“With around 1.2 million Australian children and young people growing up in poverty, many are effectively excluded from learning opportunities due to the digital divide” states Mr. Taylor.

“The Smith Family has serious concerns about the readiness of all students to thrive in the modern-day classroom and to be adequately prepared for future work and study opportunities if they do not have access to the necessary digital resources, home internet and technological support, as well as the chance to develop digital literacy skills.

“And it is clear that the majority of Australians agree with our concerns,” Taylor added.

“With 90% of future jobs requiring post-secondary qualifications, digital literacy is an integral part of every child’s educational journey.

Ensuring all students can have access to the necessary digital tools and skills is imperative for them to seize study, work, and life opportunities ahead,” he said.

It comes as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority analysis of the national NAP-ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Literacy assessment, found the average scale score of students in Year 10 had continued to spiral.

It found that students from lower income households scored far worse than those from higher socio-economic backgrounds, and boys from Years 6 to 10 were also more likely to have lower levels of ICT literacy than girls.

More than 68% of students in Year 6 with a parent who had a Bachelor degree or higher attained the proficiency standard, compared to 40% of students whose parents highest education was Year 11 or equivalent and 29% of students whose parents highest education was Year 10 or equivalent.

“The digital divide is one of the most pressing educational challenges for children in low-income households. Currently, three in ten students we support through our Learning for Life program are on the wrong side of this divide,” reveals Mr. Taylor.

A separate study involving students and families from The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program and their parents indicates that advanced digital skills are not just a necessity for education but also for life.

However, access challenges are forcing many students to adapt their digital use, with some disengaging from their education due to negative experiences.

As students transition into high school, particularly in Year 7, digital access becomes crucial.

Without a laptop and reliable internet at home, students struggle to complete homework, engage socially with classmates, and risk falling behind.

“Young people are resorting to extraordinary measures to maintain digital connectivity outside of school. Some are relying on mobile devices and public WIFI to complete schoolwork due to the absence of a reliable laptop or internet connection at home,” shares Mr. Taylor.

The Smith Family’s 2024 Digital Learning Essentials Appeal aims to ensure that every student on our Learning for Life program is equipped with a laptop, home internet and technical support for learning.

And thanks to the generous support of donors, the program has successfully provided over 6,000 students with essential digital resources in the past two years and plans to deliver an additional 3,500 devices in 2024.

The impact is evident, with close to all participating parents and carers who have received a Digital Learning Essentials pack saying that it has significantly aided their children’s education.

“I liken digital devices to the “new pens and paper” of our era. Donations to this program will ensure we can make help bridge the digital divide for even more children experiencing disadvantage and support their learning success, at school where it really matters.”

To donate to the Digital Learning Essentials program, visit thesmithfamily.com.au.

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LOCKED OUT OF LEARNING: POVERTY RESTRICTING ACCESS TO VITAL DIGITAL SKILLS AND TOOLS YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO BE FUTURE READY