Three stats and a map
Expanding the Internet
In June, Internet behemoth Google announced plans [1] to invest $1 billion in satellites that would increase Internet access in the developing world. For many, this is a much needed development as terms like “information poverty” and “digital divide” have become part of the discussion about resource inequality in recent years – so much so that in 2011, the United Nations declared [2] Internet Access a human right.
The Internet can be particularly useful for educators, and in February 2013, the Pew Research Internet Project asked [3] 2,462 U.S. middle and high school teachers about the impact of digital technologies on students. While most teachers lauded the benefits of new technologies,
The Pew Internet survey found that:
- The vast majority of teachers – 92 percent – say the Internet has a major impact on their ability to access content, resources and materials for teaching. Sixty-seven percent say the Internet has a major impact on their ability to communicate with their students’ parents.
- Teachers of low-income students say they would like to incorporate more digital technologies in the classroom, but think they are hampered by their students’ lack of technological resources. Fifty-six percent of those teaching the lowest-income students said the students’ lack of resources was “major challenge” to incorporating new technologies as compared to 21 percent of those teaching students from high-income households.
- Low-income and high-income schools differ in how they equip teachers with digital technologies. Seventy percent of teachers at high-income schools consider their school to be good at providing them with resources and support. Only 50 percent of teachers in low-incomes schools think their school does a good job.
Today, 2.5 billion people use the Internet worldwide. This interactive map [4] from Vox shows the global growth of Internet users since 2000.