digital divide

The upheaval time of COVID-19 highlighted the importance of an effective way of teaching English to the front-line healthcare workers such as medical doctors and researchers with different digital-divide status, particularly in non-English-speaking countries because they were first-hand users of critical pandemic-related information in mostly-English articles published online by scientific journals. This study attempted to investigate the pedagogical effects of utilizing the two main User-Generated Content (UGC) platforms in E-learning, namely LMS vs. LXP, on the results of the Electronic Ministry of Health Language Examinations (E-MHLE) among Iranian English for Medical Purposes (EMP) learners across their digital-divide status (digital natives vs. digital immigrants) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of focus-group E-interviews were conducted to determine the reasons behind the lowest scores among the participants and to find out possible suggestions for success in high-stake E-tests. To this end, 272 EMP learners who were users of LMS and LXP were conveniently selected from a university of medical science to participate in this sequential explanatory mixed-method research. The results of descriptive and inferential statistics showed that the LXP group outperformed the LMS one in the results of E-MHLE. Moreover, the digital natives obtained higher scores than the digital immigrants in both groups but the difference was not significant in the LXP. The findings of the E-interviews were thematically analyzed and discussed. The findings of this study might offer practical and realistic benefits to the whole EMP community, particularly policymakers for the post-COVID-19 era. 

This study explores the emotional and psychological impact of assistive technologies on adolescents with visual impairments. A qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured interviews with 20 adolescents with visual impairments recruited through online platforms. Theoretical saturation guided data collection, and NVivo software was used for thematic analysis. The study examined participants’ emotional responses, psychological adaptation, and the social and educational impacts of assistive technology use. The results revealed that while assistive technologies enhanced empowerment, independence, and self-esteem, they also introduced challenges such as frustration, technological overwhelm, and social stigma. Many participants reported emotional attachment to their assistive devices, highlighting their role in fostering confidence and reducing dependence. However, rapid technological advancements contributed to anxiety and stress, particularly when transitioning to new tools. Psychological adaptation strategies included trial-and-error learning, seeking technical support, and developing resilience. Social support from parents, teachers, and peers played a crucial role in shaping participants’ experiences, with inadequate support leading to increased frustration. The digital divide further influenced participants’ emotional well-being, as access to advanced assistive technologies varied across socioeconomic backgrounds, impacting academic performance and social inclusion. Assistive technologies significantly shape the emotional and psychological well-being of adolescents with visual impairments by promoting independence and confidence while also posing adaptation challenges. The findings highlight the need for better accessibility training for educators, increased social support, and user-centered technological designs to reduce cognitive load and frustration. Bridging the digital divide is essential to ensure equitable access to advanced assistive technologies, fostering positive developmental outcomes for visually impaired adolescents.

Background: Satellite systems which orbit in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are one of the innovative solutions to enable the connectivity in segregated geophysical parts of the world which are left out of the digital society, as they provide almost instantaneous, high-speed connections. Despite progress made there are barriers to deployment including lack of scalability, high costs, traffic management, and environmental vulnerability. Objective: The aim of the present study is enhancing the overall throughput and concurrently – steaking the LEO satellite networks reliable operation in various applications with usage of the effective traffic control and adaptive routing techniques meanwhile taking into account the costs and other factors. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative research was used in this study in which both theoretical and simulations of LEO satellite networks were used. The traffic engineering was done using Software-defined networking (SDN), whereas bio-inspired routing, including bee colony optimization algorithms, were evaluated for adaptive routing. Parameters like latency, throughout, packet loss, and costs that are exhibited to change with conditions like atmospheric interferences were also considered. Results: The results proved that the current latency can be cut by up to 60%, packet lost by up to 90%, with operating expenses slashed beyond 85% and resource utilization beyond 85%. Improved routing techniques improved transmission reliability over dynamic network loads; simulations have validated the environmental suitability of LEO networks. Conclusion: The article offers a coherent framework for the appropriate design of LEO satellite networks and discusses their ability to address the digital divide and guarantee economic, effective, and highly accessible computing access globally.

Background: Digital literacy, education, and human right of internet are also hampered in rural areas keeping the rural people more backward in the technological advancement and not providing them better chance of socioeconomic development. The opportunity of implementing the new 5G technologies can give the new perspective in the elimination of such disparities manifested through the improvement of the connection, the decrease of latency, and the increase of data transfer rates. This research study established that the adoption of 5G for coverage in rural areas is challenged by technical, economic and policy factors. Objective: The article aims at analyzing the technical, economic, and social aspects of 5G technology in the rural context in order to identify such problem the development of appropriate solutions for infrastructure costs, spectrum availability, and consumers. In pursuing this goal, the research seeks to develop practical recommendations on enhancing deployment strategies to increase Internet access where it is scarce. Methods: The study therefore used an exploratory, theoretical-evaluative, and finally empirical approach that involved quantitative modeling, case studies, and key informant interviews. Latency, data throughput, and coverage stand as the most significant factors which were tested using network simulation. Level of cost was used to determine economic feasibility while data for qualitative analysis were obtained from a survey of policymakers and telecom operators, and focus group discussion with rural community leaders. Results: In the case of 5G, the implementation of the system led to a 75% reduction in latency, a 600% improvement in the data throughput, and a 300% increase in coverage area. This finding revealed that the partnerships as a deployment model were the most effective as they resulted to a 58%ROI and lowered infrastructure costs. Conclusion: The study reaffirms the innovation of 5G to rural areas and develops agriculture, healthcare services, and educational systems. Policies, investments in the right areas, optimal management of the available spectrum and engaging with the communities as required should be a key focus for deployment to be just.