The Bridging the Digital Divide course explores the social, economic, cultural, and political implications of the digital divide, or the gap between those with access to and understanding of information technology and those without. The course is taught in a mentor/mentee style where each student has an individual mentor throughout the semester to assist him or her in grasping concepts, mastering computer tutorials, comprehending readings, and completing in and out of class homework assignments. The course offers participants the opportunity to explore the theoretical concept of the digital divide, gain a foundation of computer-based skills that they will draw on in other courses at URI and throughout their careers, and build a set of professional material such as a resume and a cover letter. Additionally, participants will work collaboratively on developing, expanding, and enhancing a URI Digital Divide course website, which will be updated and enhanced every semester by current students.

Link to 2003 syllabus web page

 The course focuses on theoretical issues pertaining to the digital divide in order to lay a conceptual foundation as to why students need to understand and appreciate the course material.  The assignments and professional material challenges them to process and personalize conceptual issues relating to the digital divide while at the same time they challenge them to practice and improve vital computer-based skills. The course emphasizes software that is available on computers throughout campus such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Front Page.  This software is generally regarded to be accessible, affordable, and applicable in both academic and business environments. As such, students will be able to use the skills that they gain from this course in other classes and in their professional careers.

Course Requirements

Course goals will be pursued through in-class discussions, homework, reading, and research assignments, informational videos, computer tutorials, computer-skills development exercises, and out of class interaction between the mentor and the mentee. Mentor and mentee teams are required to attend every class meeting, participate in discussions, complete in and out of class assignments, and complete all reading assignments. Participants must complete and present the final project, which is a personal website with all previous homework material posted on it and they must contribute to continuously improving the URI Digital Divide course website. The final grade will be determined by lab assignments (30%), class participation including contribution to the course website (40%), and the final project (30%).

Primary Reading

Norris, Pippa. Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Internet Worldwide

Supplementary Reading

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