Digital inclusion, educational inequalities, and functional literacy. The Brazilian Experience

• In Event: Digital futures and schooling: between global debates and regional experiences

Proposal

In recent years, the increasing digitization of education has become central to global educational futures. In Latin America, this transformation is profoundly shaped by inequalities in digital inclusion and uneven development of digital skills. This paper focuses on Brazil as a case study within global debates on education in the digital age. The study examines the intersections between digital inclusion, educational inequalities, and functional literacy, drawing on data from key national surveys: the Kids Online Brazil and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education surveys conducted by the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), a department of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br).
Brazil offers a critical case for understanding these dynamics due to its vast socio-economic disparities and diverse educational landscape. While significant investments have been made in expanding access to ICT, the data reveals that digital inclusion issues extend far beyond access to devices and connectivity. The Kids Online Brazil survey highlights how children's and adolescents' internet use is shaped by social inequalities, with significant differences in digital skills development across regions, socio-economic groups, and educational levels. These findings are further corroborated by the ICT in Education survey, which sheds light on the challenges schools face in implementing digital education policies, particularly in public schools that serve low-income populations.
The paper also explores how digital inclusion challenges intersect with broader issues of functional literacy. Despite decades of efforts to address literacy deficits, functional literacy remains a persistent challenge in Brazil. A significant portion of the population lacks the skills necessary to engage fully with digital content, creating a double burden for vulnerable populations: not only are they less likely to access digital tools and face greater challenges in developing the foundational skills required to benefit from digital education initiatives.
By situating Brazil's experience within regional and global debates on digital education, this paper contributes to the ongoing conversation about how education systems can respond to the evolving demands of the digital society. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive policies beyond providing technology and addressing deeper social inequalities affecting digital inclusion and skills development. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the importance of fostering both digital and functional literacy in tandem, as these are critical to ensuring equitable access to digital education and, in broader terms, for exercising citizenship in the digital age.
This study underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of digital inclusion in education. It calls for policies considering the complex interplay of socio-economic factors, regional disparities, and educational practices shaping digital futures in Brazil and beyond. Kids Online Brazil and ICT in Education Brazil are nationally representative surveys conducted annually for over a decade. This longevity provides a unique opportunity to analyze long-term trends and patterns in digital inclusion, internet usage, and educational technology adoption. The extensive time series data allows for a deeper understanding of how digital skills and access have evolved in Brazil over the years, offering insights into the persistent challenges and progress in bridging digital divides.

Authors

• Ana Laura Martinez, Cetic.br | NIC.BR

• Fabio Senne, NIC.br