TY - JOUR
T1 - How do we understand “meaningful use” of the internet? Of divides, skills and socio-technical awareness
AU - Hosman, Laura
AU - Pérez Comisso, Martin Andrés
N1 - Funding Information:
The doctoral work of Mr Pérez Comisso is funded by the Fulbright grant BIO Becas Chile #56150016.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2020/8/4
Y1 - 2020/8/4
N2 - Purpose: Information and communications technologies (ICTs) have transformed the lives of many people around the world, yet billions remain unconnected. While many initiatives attempt to “connect the unconnected,” initiatives focused on access and skills-development alone will still fall short. Based on the authors’ experience with the SolarSPELL initiative, this study aims to propose using the concept of socio-technical awareness as a step forward in conceptualizing a more accurate picture of capabilities necessary to enable people to make meaningful use of the internet. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses an integrative literature review for the ideas related to the digital divide, digital inclusion and digital literacies, as well as the applied work of the authors in the SolarSPELL initiative, to develop the concept of socio-technical awareness, which is presented as a method for understanding empowered, meaningful internet use. Findings: The argument is made that access, skills- and literacy-development are necessary but insufficient conditions for meaningful ICTs use. Accordingly, a third concept, socio-technical awareness, is introduced, and the case is made for including this concept in both application and measurement of meaningful use of ICTs. Practical implications: The design of digital inclusion initiatives should focus on increasing socio-technical awareness to empower users to make meaningful use of digital technologies. Originality/value: Taking a step further than most assessments of the digital divide or digital inclusion, this study proposes that to achieve meaningful internet use, people need access, requisite skills development and socio-technical awareness, to be able to make informed, empowered decisions about ICT use.
AB - Purpose: Information and communications technologies (ICTs) have transformed the lives of many people around the world, yet billions remain unconnected. While many initiatives attempt to “connect the unconnected,” initiatives focused on access and skills-development alone will still fall short. Based on the authors’ experience with the SolarSPELL initiative, this study aims to propose using the concept of socio-technical awareness as a step forward in conceptualizing a more accurate picture of capabilities necessary to enable people to make meaningful use of the internet. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses an integrative literature review for the ideas related to the digital divide, digital inclusion and digital literacies, as well as the applied work of the authors in the SolarSPELL initiative, to develop the concept of socio-technical awareness, which is presented as a method for understanding empowered, meaningful internet use. Findings: The argument is made that access, skills- and literacy-development are necessary but insufficient conditions for meaningful ICTs use. Accordingly, a third concept, socio-technical awareness, is introduced, and the case is made for including this concept in both application and measurement of meaningful use of ICTs. Practical implications: The design of digital inclusion initiatives should focus on increasing socio-technical awareness to empower users to make meaningful use of digital technologies. Originality/value: Taking a step further than most assessments of the digital divide or digital inclusion, this study proposes that to achieve meaningful internet use, people need access, requisite skills development and socio-technical awareness, to be able to make informed, empowered decisions about ICT use.
KW - Digital inclusion
KW - Digital literacy
KW - Internet-ready skills
KW - Socio-technical awareness
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U2 - 10.1108/JICES-05-2020-0055
DO - 10.1108/JICES-05-2020-0055
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85086327095
SN - 1477-996X
VL - 18
SP - 461
EP - 479
JO - Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society
JF - Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society
IS - 3
ER -