Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1262-7500

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Yu, Chien

Committee Member

Francom, Greg

Committee Member

Okojie, Mabel CPO

Committee Member

Xu, Jianzhong

Date of Degree

12-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Worldwide

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Instructional Systems & Workforce Development

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Industrial Technology, Instructional Design, and Community College Leadership

Abstract

This survey study, N = 44 university students, from an urban campus, measured post-pandemic digital divide perceptions, focusing on motivational, physical, skills, and usage access to ICTs through the lens of van Dijk’s resources and appropriation theory. Statistical tests, including one-sample t-tests, correlation analyses, one-way and repeated measure ANOVAs, and independent sample t-tests, highlighted both the perceptions and relationships among different dimensions of digital divides. The findings showed that participants perceive their post-pandemic digital divide perceptions positively. Intrinsic Motivational Access (IMA) mean scores were particularly high, suggesting a strong internal drive among students to engage with ICTs, significantly surpassing extrinsic motivational factors (EMA) that depend on external influences like peer and instructor expectations. Physical Access (PA), while generally high, revealed discrepancies especially in specialized tools like programming software and peer engagement apps, suggesting areas for enhancement. Skill access, encompassing Operational Skills Access (OSA), Informational Skills Access (ISA), and Strategic Skills Access (SSA), indicated high levels of competency among students in utilizing ICTs effectively. Notably, the correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between physical and operational skills access, and moderate associations among various skills accesses, suggesting that foundational digital skills pave the way for more complex information handling and strategic operations. Furthermore, usage access was highly rated, both in general and academic contexts, reflecting the deep integration of ICTs in students' daily and academic lives. The results confirm the critical role of ICTs in enhancing educational outcomes and personal efficiency in the digital age. Significant differences based on demographic factors were also noted. Age and socioeconomic status showed variations in ICT access, with males, older, and higher-income students reporting better access and utilization. However, no significant differences were found across race or ethnicity, grade level, and housing status, indicating a broad uniformity in digital access perceptions across these demographics. Overall, this study underlines the importance of enhancing access and skills to narrow the digital divide. While students generally exhibit high motivational and skills access, the variability in physical access to ICTs and the significant influence of socioeconomic factors suggest that targeted interventions are necessary to ensure equitable engagement across all university student groups.

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