Page 25 - Šolsko polje, XXVII, 2016, no. 3-4: IEA ICILS in druge sodobne teme, ur. Eva Klemenčič
P. 25
The Digital Divide: The Role of Socioeconomic
Status across Countries
Plamen Mirazchiyski
Skills in using modern technologies are especially important for the
future of individuals, and attention paid on student abilities in us
ing ICT resources for their personal empowerment is needed. These
kind of skills in youth are especially important because today’s youth will
compete for technological jobs globally (Ritzhaupt, Liu, Dawson, & Bar
ron, 2013). The social effects of ICT on production are totalizing, altering
or eliminating not just the existing work practices and conditions, but cre
ating new sectors of capital. Post-industrial society moves towards the less
traditional physical production of commodities to the provision of servic
es and adoption of a “global, mobile and networked e-capital” (Stevenson,
2009, p. 3). The information industry had become the driving force of the
new economy more than 15 years ago through producing, processing, dis
tributing and using information. Moreover, it even permeates the tradi
tional sectors of economy, such as agriculture and manufacturing (M.-C.
Kim & Kim, 2001). The emerging information capital is related with low
ering the labour needs and the work is reorganized in terms of employ
ment in forms as “contingent workers” (Stevenson, 2009). However, to
succeed in these new conditions, a new set of skills is required. This means
that the digital skills of todays’ youth are crucial for their success in the
future, which is why this study takes students as its target group. Fifteen
years ago Kim and Kim (2001) predicted that:
…information exchanges will shape most of human activities. Commu-
nication will become not so much an instrument for conveying messag-
es but a critical factor in enhancing the quality of life. So it is necessary to
implement measures to not only increase the media availability but also
improve communicative competencies at home and work. (p. 88)
23
Status across Countries
Plamen Mirazchiyski
Skills in using modern technologies are especially important for the
future of individuals, and attention paid on student abilities in us
ing ICT resources for their personal empowerment is needed. These
kind of skills in youth are especially important because today’s youth will
compete for technological jobs globally (Ritzhaupt, Liu, Dawson, & Bar
ron, 2013). The social effects of ICT on production are totalizing, altering
or eliminating not just the existing work practices and conditions, but cre
ating new sectors of capital. Post-industrial society moves towards the less
traditional physical production of commodities to the provision of servic
es and adoption of a “global, mobile and networked e-capital” (Stevenson,
2009, p. 3). The information industry had become the driving force of the
new economy more than 15 years ago through producing, processing, dis
tributing and using information. Moreover, it even permeates the tradi
tional sectors of economy, such as agriculture and manufacturing (M.-C.
Kim & Kim, 2001). The emerging information capital is related with low
ering the labour needs and the work is reorganized in terms of employ
ment in forms as “contingent workers” (Stevenson, 2009). However, to
succeed in these new conditions, a new set of skills is required. This means
that the digital skills of todays’ youth are crucial for their success in the
future, which is why this study takes students as its target group. Fifteen
years ago Kim and Kim (2001) predicted that:
…information exchanges will shape most of human activities. Commu-
nication will become not so much an instrument for conveying messag-
es but a critical factor in enhancing the quality of life. So it is necessary to
implement measures to not only increase the media availability but also
improve communicative competencies at home and work. (p. 88)
23
