Information and Communications Technology Access and Digital Equity for Underrepresented Racial Minority Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

• In Event: Critical Issues in Using Technology to Serve Diverse Populations

Abstract

We sought to address concerns over the adverse effects of online transition during the COVID-19 pandemic on complicating existing inequalities. Given the positive association between information and communications technology (ICT) uses and student performance, we examined effects of limited ICT access on URM students during the pandemic, by analyzing data from a public university in the U.S., using structural equation modeling. We detected lower levels of academic performance and ICT access among URM students than their non-URM counterparts. The lack of ICT access associated negatively with URM students’ performance directly and indirectly via ICT uses. Results were invariant across males and females. We discussed implications of our findings in the context of narrowing digital inequalities during the (post) COVID-19 era.

Authors

• Sunha Kim, University at Buffalo - SUNY
  Presenting Author

• Sandro Sodano, University at Buffalo - SUNY
  Presenting Author