Populations Digitally Excluded from Education: Issues, Factors, Contributions and Actions for Policy, Practice and Research in a Post-Pandemic Era

Don Passey, Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University
Jean Gabin Ntebutse, Université de Sherbrooke
Manal Yazbak Abu Ahmad, College of Sakhnin for Teacher Education
Janet Cochrane, University of the Sunshine Coast
Simon Collin, Université du Québec à Montréal
Asmaa Ganayem, InnDigital Center
Elizabeth Langran, Marymount University
Sadaqat Mulla, Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Maria Mercedes Rodrigo, Ateneo de Manila University
Toshinori Saito, Seisa University
Miri Shonfeld, Kibbutzim College
Saunand Somasi, Indira Gandhi National Open University

Abstract

This conceptual paper draws on a wide range of research and policy literature, providing a contemporary view of issues, factors and practices that affect education for digitally excluded populations. Concern for how education for digitally excluded populations can be supported is focal to this paper, with different sections offering key related perspectives. From an analysis of issues, factors and practices, actions for policy, practice and research are identified. Given a key finding that power issues can have major effects on plans, implementation processes and outcomes when addressing needs of education for digitally excluded populations, the paper concludes by offering frameworks to support and enable key discussions, to involve representatives from an excluded population as well as those from policy (government and industry), practitioners (teachers and learners) and researchers.