[Air-l] digital divide in use - more suggestions?

Sun Jun 5 10:10:36 PDT 2005

Michaël, this one might help you. Sorry for the shameless self-promotion. 

Jaeho Cho, Homero Gil De Zuniga, Hernando Rojas, Dhavan V. Shah (2003).
Beyond Access: The Digital Divide and Internet Uses and Gratifications.  IT
& Society, vol 4 (1). Stanford University. 

http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/itandsociety/v01i04.html 

This research explores the relationship between Internet use and
gratifications gained within the context of the digital divide framework.
Analyses within sub-samples defined by age and socio-economic status reveal
that there are notable differences in uses and gratifications across
subgroups. For instance, those who are young and high in socioeconomic
status are most likely to use the Internet to satisfy their motivations
strategically and to gain the desired gratifications. They are most likely
to engage in specific Internet behaviors-computer-mediated interaction,
surveillance, and consumption uses-to achieve the particular gratifications
of connection, learning, and acquisition. 

In contrast, those who are young and low in socio-economic status were more
likely to employ consumptive use of the Internet to attain connection
gratifications. Similarly, regardless of age, both low socioeconomic status
subgroups were likely to use computer-mediated interaction as a means to
gain learning gratifications. Even as gaps in access are closing, gaps in
usage and gratifications gained seem to persist. 

Homero Gil de Zuniga
University of Wisconsin-Madison

-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-aoir.org-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-aoir.org-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Opgenhaffen
Michaël
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 7:20 AM
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group
Cc: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Subject: [Air-l] digital divide in use - more suggestions?

[Crossposted to DDN + AOIR, sorry for that!]

Hello everybody,

I'm doing research within the erea of internet and the digital divide (like
many of you, i suppose ;-) )
Most of the literature treats the internet as one uniform medium. In
reality, the internet exists of different applications like websites,
usenet, listserv, blogs, email, IM, ...

I was wondering if there exists some research about the consequences of this
difference in use and it's relationship to the digital divide-theory. Most
of the time, the digital divide is constraint to the difference in internet
access, but the future will bring us perhaps only a difference in internet
use (some only use general websites, while others use all different
applications). 

The term 'digital divide in use' is somewhat what i'm looking for, but not
exctly i guess. Also the term digital literacy is quite helpful ... 

Anyone more suggestions about literature? Or your opinion about this
subject? 

Thanks in advance!

Michaël

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- 
Van: Deborah Elizabeth Finn [mailto:deborah.elizabeth.finn at gmail.com] 
Verzonden: za 4/06/2005 22:47 
Aan: The Digital Divide Network discussion group 
CC: 
Onderwerp: [DDN] Bragging Rights in Boston

	(A version of this item is also available through my blog at

<http://blog.deborah.elizabeth.finn.com/blog/_archives/2005/6/2/903714.html>
;
	the blog version provides live links to more information about some
of
	the people and organizations mentioned here.)

	Dear Colleagues,     

	On Wednesday evening, the Boston 501 Tech Club had a record turnout
of
	over 70 nonprofit techies!  It was the largest gathering ever in the
	history of the regional 501 Tech Clubs.

	Here are a few factors that go into an event like this one:

	-  We had a dedicated team of planners:  Merove Heifetz of
Earthwatch
	Institute (the outgoing convener of the Boston club), Beth Sousa of
	Families First (the incoming convener), Kathleen Sherwin of Tech
	Foundation, and yours truly.

	-  The planners met several weeks in advance, to get acquainted in
	person, to brainstorm about desired outcomes, and to plan for the
	transition to a new convener.  We then stayed in touch by email and
	conference call.

	-  TechFoundation generously underwrote the cost of the venue, food,
	and drinks. Furthermore, Kathleen Sherwin, ably assisted by Colleen
	Higgins (also of TechFoundation), deployed her superlative skills as
	an event manager.

	-  TechFoundation also generously underwrote my time as a consultant
	to bring various pieces of the puzzle together, and to do outreach
to
	individuals and groups who may not have previously known about the
	Boston 501 Tech Club or considered attending one of its events.

	-  The event was held outdoors at a time of year when most people
	crave a little fresh air and sunshire, and it didn't rain.

	-  The venue was easily accessible by public transportation.
(Parking
	was also available, which definitely counts for something in Harvard
	Square.)

	I'd summarize the most important take-aways in this way:

	-  If you feed them, they will come.  This costs money.

	-  Events of this sort are labor intensive.  Volunteers who have
other
	full-time jobs can't be expected to do all the work.  Hiring
	professionals costs money.

	-  It's important for potential attendees to receive personal
	invitations (or to  hear about the event) from people they know.

	However, it's also important not to overlook what we as the planners
	could take for granted:  our region can boast of a first-rate talent
	pool of current and aspiring nonprofit techies.  We have an
abundance
	of philanthropic spirit, utopian vision, and technological genius
here
	in Massachusetts.  Rich in human capital, we desperately need the
	financial and institutional resources to bring it all together to
	serve the nonprofit sector.  This new partnership between the Boston
	501 Tech Club and TechFoundation may bring help to bring us to the
	tipping point.

	Go, team!

	Best regards from Deborah

	P.S.  Full disclosure of financial relationship:  I used to serve as
	TechFoundation's national nonprofit liaison officer and director of
	its Boston TechConnect program, and am currently working with TF on
a
	consulting basis.

	Deborah Elizabeth Finn
	Boston, Massachusetts, USA
	deborah_elizabeth_finn at post.harvard.edu
	http://blog.deborah.elizabeth.finn.com/blog
	http://public.xdi.org/=deborah.elizabeth.finn

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