Technology has transformed the way we live, work and interact with one another every day. It has introduced benefits but also exacerbated existing barriers. The digital divide – the gap between those with access to digital technology and those without it – remains a social and economic issue. Most impacted are seniors and people living in rural and remote communities.
Digital technology is a conduit to information, essential services, health care, learning, employment and participation in democratic processes.
Adult learning is the critical juncture that helps ensure equitable distribution of the digital, literacy and numeracy capabilities needed to take full advantage of services, processes and opportunities.
Digital access and adult learning must be considered together to address the digital divide and the inequitable distribution of learning and training opportunities for adults.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a gap: those without adequate internet access, a laptop or desktop computer with a camera and accompanying digital skills faced greater challenges in adapting to new realities such as telehealth services, online learning and access to government supports.
Groups that used the internet less than average during the pandemic included adults over 75, those with disabilities, those who live outside of major metropolitan areas, and Indigenous Peoples.
Affordability is an ongoing issue, compelling many to rely on limited data and smartphones. This makes it challenging to complete tasks such as filling out forms or participating in online learning.
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This in turn leads to a ripple effect of barriers. Such technological limitations lead to ability and benefit divides since there are fewer opportunities to gain digital skills and confidence, including literacy and numeracy skills.
Today, the majority of literacy and numeracy demands that lead to skill development, such as updating an inventory, creating a budget or reading specific content and taking a multiple-choice test, are made in online environments rather than through books, newspapers and other printed materials. Limitations to technological access also leads to exclusion from important information, essential services, health care, learning, employment and online voting.
Even with adequate personal access and informal learning supports from friends and family, opportunities for more intensive learning are less common for those without a job or whose work involves minimal online demands.
International testing in 2012 and 2023 revealed an erosion of literacy skills in many countries. While Canada didn’t see decreases, the literacy skills of adults stagnated, despite growing literacy demands in digital environments.
On the face of it, Canada did well on the OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies test involving 31 countries. But a higher-than-average score obscures an unequal distribution, including one-fifth of Canadians with scores at the low end. (Many of the lower-level test tasks could likely be completed by students in middle school.)
The policy response is clear and has been since the OECD began the testing initiative 30 years ago. Nordic countries, with robust and well-funded adult education systems, resisted the trends and saw literacy score increases.
Foundational adult education can also help address the Matthew Effect, whereby adults who scored at the lowest level in the OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies and have less than a high-school education are least likely to participate in employer-sponsored learning and training. This is a concern since more than three quarters of adult learning and training is supported by employers.
It is unclear whether the opportunities for those with the least education and at lower levels of skill proficiency are unavailable or if barriers are preventing their participation. Regardless, there is a clear role for government-funded adult learning programs to address the imbalance.
Specifically, K-12 and postsecondary education combined with a co-ordinated adult training and learning system is key to the development and maintenance of literacy and numeracy in a digital society and equitable digital access.
Adult education is inherently responsive to learners’ needs and interests, offering flexible scheduling and a variety of online and in-person learning formats. Adults can complete their secondary education, obtain recognized and in-demand employment credentials, learn to use telehealth services, support their children at school or participate more in their communities.
Programs also offer a range of scheduling options and various combinations of online and in-person learning. This flexibility allows learners to acquire the technology and digitally mediated literacy and numeracy skills they need to achieve their personal and professional aspirations.
In addition to providing literacy, numeracy and digital skills, adult education programs can also help individuals develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These skills are essential for navigating the complex and rapidly changing digital world.
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Adult education programs also serve as community hubs for social inclusion. By fostering collaborative learning environments and building relationships between learners and between learners and educators, programs can help create a sense of belonging and support for those who are marginalized or excluded.
However, the current system, which is a mix of provincial and federal funding involving different ministries (i.e., labour, education and immigration), is complex, underfunded and often gets bogged down by administrative paperwork such as reporting and funding applications.
In Ontario, over half of staffing resources in the adult literacy system is devoted to program administration rather than instruction. As well, many adult educators, often with teaching credentials, can only access part-time contract work.
Adult education could benefit from federal policies that help alleviate redundancies and provide national co-ordination and infrastructure. This is achievable by developing a series of concerted steps:
By focusing on adult education at the national policy level, governments and communities can equip individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the digital age. This can lead to increased economic opportunities, improved access to services and greater social inclusion.
Inherent inequalities are leaving too many Canadians behind. Addressing the digital divide is critical to reducing these inequalities and fostering a more equitable society.
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by Policy Options. Originally published on Policy Options
January 6, 2025
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