Reflection on peers and tutor feedback

The role of peer and tutor feedback

Prior to taking this module I haven't had a module that required me to feedback on my peers' work though tutors gave their feedback occasionally on exams scripts and term papers. After taking this module , my perception towards feedback and role it plays changed quite dramatically. Throughout this course we had many chances to give our feedback to our peers on their reader response , essay and their blogposts.

We started out by giving our comments peers 's blogposts which tended be more informal  and personalized. When I had to give my comments it made me pause , think and reflect on what they wrote as I can't comment on something I myself isn't clear about or have doubts. When my peers gave me their comments it was helpful to me in the sense that it gave me different perspectives to certain issues that I have raised in my essays. Sometimes my peers were even kind enough to give me specific comments on  grammar issues which proved to be of great help for me. Throughout  the course  the tutor gave his comments on my blogpost which motivated me to write better the next time I post or submit something. The comments from my peers and the tutor also  helped to improve my writing skills as i started to be more aware of my common mistakes I made such as fragments and subject verb agreement.

Moving on during the course we embarked on reader response and essay which formed the bulk of the course. For the reader response we had to do multiple drafts. Initially I thought having multiple drafts of the same essay was going to be of very little use however i was wrong. By the time I wrote my second draft for reader response I realized the importance of having multiple drafts as I realized that each draft was a much improvised version of the previous ones especially for the first two drafts. Also by the 2nd and the 3rd draft , my tutor emailed us with specific comments on how to improve for the final draft which came in very useful and handy.

Moving on to the essay process , before we started our essay proper we had class time to brainstorm for our essay ideas and come up with thesis ideas.  For the essay we had the privilege of meeting our tutor personally to get comments on how to improve the essay for the third draft. Again tutor feedback proved to be very useful to me as by then I was more interested to know where I went wrong and was eager to improvise it. Many a times , in university we don't not get the luxury of getting individual feedback from the professors or even the teacher assistants simple due to lack of manpower and time. However  for this course , the tutor feedback and my peers feedback proved to be useful for several reasons such as identifying the common errors made and providing an opportunity to rectify them in the future drafts. More that I also felt the feedbacks from my peers added value to my essay or blogposts.  Adding on , apart from the feedback I got for my blogpost , reader response and essays , I also got feedback for essay presentation. Though it was intimidating to present infront of my peers it was a great experience. I also learnt more about presentation from hearing the feedbacks given to me and also to those to who presented . Thus the feedback provided to me by my peers also aided the future presenters on areas to improve and areas to take note.

In the future, I believe that feedbacks I received throughout the course will be of great help for my modules I take in the future for example in terms of the correct way cite in a formal essay. All in all it was a module that  allowed me to improve both my soft and hard skills.

Essay Final Draft

The Singapore government takes on the challenge of an extremely fast paced world with increasing digital connectivity as way to reach out to its citizens.  The Singapore government is able to connect with its citizens through various online and social platforms. It has realised the importance of information and communication technology ICT, and developed various master plans to construct a well-connected society. According to Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, one of the national agencies also known as IDA (2014), Internet and computer usage among the population was 71% and 72% respectively in 2011. The usage demographics according to IDA (2014),  also revealed that 96% of those belonging to the age range of 15-34 years accessed the internet while  only 15% of those aged 60 years and above, had used the internet in that year. The data above clearly illustrates that the elderly population tend not to use the internet in comparison to the younger generation as the former do not see the rationale in doing so. The low usage of the internet by the elderly as illustrated above, it brings about a situation where there is a digital divide between the elderly and the rest of the family which puts the elderly at a disadvantage due to their “digital isolation”. IDA has been active in trying to bridge the gap through its various policies such as the Silver Infocomm Initiatives, which shows that it is moving in the right direction.  Because of the isolation  felt by the elderly due to the digital divide between them and the rest of the family members IDA should step in to bridge the gap  and in addition to that I will be also be suggesting an additional solution to narrow the gap.

Reasons for the digital divide and the potential problems as a result

The reason for the digital divide to exist could simply be due to ignorance or lack of knowledge of the benefits of being in touch with the technology particularly the internet, among the elderly.  The digital divide could be due to factors like gender, education and socio–economic status (Paul & Stegbauer, 2005). One should note that the diffusion rate of technology among elderly is on the rise but still lags behind the young generation.  However, the bigger concern should be the potential problems that could arise as a result of this digital divide between the elderly and the rest of the family members. Such a divide could result in social problems for the elderly as they might feel left out and feel “digitally isolated “from the rest of the family members who are in touch with technology.  This is so because the family members of the elderly might view them in negative light as the elderly are not in touch with technology which could strain their relationship between them in a worst case scenario.

IDA’s on- going efforts 

The Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII) aims to lessen the digital divide among senior citizens by addressing their differences in educational background, language and infocomm competencies (Silver Infocomm Junctions and Hotspots, 2014). The SII comprise of programmes that provide access to IT training and computer resources, and engage senior citizens in various Silver Infocomm events such as Silver Infocomm Day. Nine IT learning hubs, Silver Infocomm Junctions (SIJs), which are senior-friendly and conveniently situated at island-wide venues such as Eunos and Bouna Vista community clubs. (Silver Infocomm Junctions and Hotspots, 2014) The SIJs offer rational, infocomm training and custom made curriculum for senior citizens. Senior citizens are also able to enjoy follow up tutorials for more thorough learning (Silver Infocomm Junctions and Hotspots, 2014).

Evaluation of IDA’s efforts

It is commendable that IDA is taking effort to bridge the digital divide between the elderly and the rest of the family members. However, the policies need to tackle the root cause of the problem and I feel it was generally ineffective. In this case, the reason why elderly are not in touch with technology, is due to their ignorance and they do not see the need to be. Thus the policies that are rolled out should focus on educating the elderly in aiding them to make an informed choice when it comes to using technology and internet. Though SII includes programmes that provide training and access to IT, the success rate of such programmes might be low as many elderly might not be so forthcoming in attending them as they simply might not see any incentive in doing so. Furthermore, elderly might need more time to comprehend how to use ICT, in comparison to the younger generation. Thus, it is important that IDA continually promote the use of ICT in time to come. Also, there seems to be no concrete way for IDA to track whether the elderly really benefited from the SII programme. IDA could come up with a feedback system, so that the elderly could voice their opinion on the implemented programs. This is because with a feedback system, it allows for two-way communication between the IDA and the elderly.

Proposed solution and evaluation

IDA can organise monthly campaigns called “Use the Internet with me” around neighbourhoods, to promote the use of internet among the elderly.  For example IDA could have computers set up at the campaign with personnel to guide the elderly along basic computer applications like opening a website, browsing the internet and using the internet, search engines like Yahoo and Google to find the necessary information. This proposed solution draws inspiration from previously implemented initiatives by IDA such as the SII programme. However what is different is that, the elderly have to come with one of their family members to use the internet at the campaigns around the neighbourhood.  In a case if an elderly is living on his/her own, the personnel will be partnering with them. Though there will be personnel stationed at every booth, the elderly have to compete a certain number of tasks for example, opening a web browser, searching for some terms using the search engine with the help of the family member and submitting the answers online to complete the task. Though critics might argue that the participation rate might is low, however the main motive of the campaign is to help the elderly learn how to use the ICT in a fun and interactive way from their own family members.  Such campaigns can also reap other potential benefits such as increasing the bond between the elderly and the rest of the family members. Also, to get more participation from the elderly IDA could have some prizes for the top 3 winners from the monthly campaign such as NTUC vouchers to incentivise more to take part in these campaigns. 

Conclusion

The digital divide between the younger and older population, namely the elderly, is not likely to be closed in the near future.  However, efforts could be channelled to narrow the divide as more and more elderly are opening to the idea of internet and using technology. Thus if the internet becomes more widely used among the elderly it will reap benefits for them (Paul & Stegbauer, 2005). IDA has been constantly come up initiatives to bridge the digital divide. However, what is foremost needed to narrow the gap is a change in the mind-set of the elderly in using ICT.  For such a change to happen, it will take time and effort. Also, the burden of narrowing the digital divide should not only fall on government agencies like the IDA, but it should be shouldered by everyone especially the younger generation who needs to take step forward to help the elderly assimilate.

                                            References

Infocomm Usage - Households and Individuals. (2014). Retrieved from Infocomm Authority of Singapore: http://www.ida.gov.sg/Infocomm-Landscape/Facts-and-Figures/Infocomm-Usage-Households-and-Individuals#4

Silver Infocomm Junctions and Hotspots. (2014). Retrieved from Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore: http://www.ida.gov.sg/Collaboration-and-Initiatives/Initiatives/Store/Silver-Infocomm-Junctions-and-Hotspots

Paul, G., & Stegbauer, C. (2005, October 3). Is the digital divide between the young and the elderly increasing? First Monday. Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1286/1206

Essay draft 2

Introduction

Singapore takes on the challenge of an extremely fast paced world with increasing digital connectivity as a chance to connect with its citizens. The government is able to connect with its citizens through various online and social platforms. Singapore government has realised the importance of information and communication technology ICT, and developed various master plans to construct a well-connected society. According to Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore IDA, (2014) Internet and computer usage among the population were 71% and 72% respectively in 2011. The usage demographics according to IDA, (2014) revealed that 96% of those belonging to the age range of  15-34 years accessed the internet while 15% of those aged 60 years and above, had used the internet in that year. Based on the data above, it clearly spells out that the elderly population tend not to use the internet as much as they may not see the rationale in doing so. Because of the low usage of the internet by the elderly as illustrated above, it brings about a situation where there is a digital divide between the elderly and the rest of the family which puts the elderly at a disadvantage due to their “digital isolation”. One of the national agencies in Singapore, IDA has been active in trying to bridge the gap through its various policies such as the Silver Infocomm Initiatives which shows that it is moving in the right direction.  . Therefore, in this essay I will be mainly focusing the issue of isolation caused by this so called digital divide, evaluating IDA’s on -going efforts to bridge the gap  and suggesting a solution to narrow the gap the exists.

Reasons for the digital divide and the potential problems as a result

The reason for the digital divide to exist could simply be due to ignorance or lack of knowledge of the benefits of being plugged in among the elderly.  The digital divide could be due to factors like gender, education and social –economic status (First Monday, 2005). One should note that the diffusion rate of technology among elderly is on the rise but still lags behind the young generation.  However, the bigger concern should be the potential problems that could arise as a result of this digital divide between the elderly and younger generation. Such a divide could result in social problems for the elderly as they might feel left out and feel “digitally isolated “from the rest of the family members who are plugged in.

IDA’s on- going efforts

The Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII) aims to bridge the digital divide among senior citizens by addressing their differences in educational background, language and infocomm competencies (IDA, 2014). The SII includes programmes that provide access to IT training and computer resources, and occupy senior citizens in various Silver Infocomm events such as Silver Infocomm Day. Nine IT learning hubs, which are senior-friendly and suitably located, called Silver Infocomm Junctions (SIJs), are set up island-wide at venues such as Eunos and Bouna Vista community clubs. (IDA, 2014) The SIJs offer reasonable infocomm training and customised curriculum for senior citizens. Senior citizens are also able to enjoy follow up tutorials for more in-depth learning (IDA, 2014).

Evaluation of IDA’s efforts

It is commendable that IDA is taking effort to bridge the digital divide between the elderly and the rest of the family members however the policies need to tackle the root cause of the problem and I feel it missed the bull’s eyes.  In this case, the reason why elderly aren’t plug is due to their ignorance and they do not see the need to be. Thus the policies that are rolled out should hit focus on educating the elderly to make a more informed choice when it comes to using technology and internet. Though SII includes programmes that provide training and access to IT, the success rate of such programmes might be low as many elderly might not be so forth coming in attending them as they simply might not see any incentive in doing so. Furthermore elderly might need more time to comprehend how to use ICT, in comparison to the younger generation thus, it is important that IDA continually promote the use of ICT in time to come. Also there seems to be no concrete way for IDA, to track whether the elderly who used the SII programme benefit or any if they have feedback thus IDA could come up with a feedback system, so that the elderly could voice their opinion on the implemented programs and also the feedback system enables for a 2 way communication between the IDA and the elderly.

Proposed solution and evaluation

IDA can organise monthly campaigns called “Use the Internet with me” around neighbourhoods, to promote the use of internet among the elderly For example IDA could have computers set up at the campaign with personnel to guide the elderly along basic computer applications like opening a website, browsing the internet and using the internet, search engines like Yahoo and Google to find the necessary information. This proposed solution draws inspiration from previously implemented initiatives by IDA such as the SII programme however what is different is that, the elderly have to come with one of their family members to use the internet at the campaigns around the neighbourhood.  In a case if an elderly is living on his/her own, the personnel will be partnering with them. Though there will be personnel stationed at ever booth, the elderly have to compete a certain number of tasks for example , opening a web browser , search for some terms using the search engine with the help of the family member and submit the answers online to complete the task. Though critics might argue, that the participation rate might be low, however the main motive of the campaign is to help the elderly learn how to use the ICT in a fun and interactive way and that to from their own family member.  Such campaigns can also reap other potential benefits such as increasing the bon between the elderly and the rest of the family members. Also to get more participation from the elderly IDA could have some prizes for the top 3 winners from the monthly campaign such as NTUC vouchers to incentivise more to take part in these campaigns. 

Conclusion

The digital divide between the younger and older population namely the elderly, is not likely to be closed in the near future however efforts could be channelled to narrow the divide as more and more elderly are opening to the idea of internet and using technology. Thus if the internet become more widely used among the elderly it will reap benefits for them (First Monday, 2005). IDA has been constantly coming up initiatives to bridge the digital divide however what is foremost needed to narrow the gap is a change in the mind-set of the elderly in using ICT.  For such a change to happen, it will take time and effort. Also the burden of narrowing the digital divide should not only fall on government agencies like the IDA but it should be shouldered by everyone especially the younger generation who needs to take step forward to help the elderly assimilate.

                                                    References

First Monday. (2005, October 3). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1286/1206

Infocom Development Authority of Singapore . (2014 a). Retrieved from http://www.ida.gov.sg/Infocomm-Landscape/Facts-and-Figures/Infocomm-Usage-Households-and-Individuals#4

Infocom Development Authority of Singapore. (2014 b). Retrieved from http://www.ida.gov.sg/Collaboration-and-Initiatives/Initiatives/Store/Silver-Infocomm-Junctions-and-Hotspots

essay draft 1

Introduction

 Singapore takes on the challenge of an extremely fast paced world with increasing digital connectivity as a chance to connect with its citizens. The government is able to connect with its citizens through various online and social platforms. Singapore government as soon realised the importance of information and communication technology ICT, and developed various master plans to construct a well-connected society. According Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore IDA, (IDA , 2014) Internet and computer usage among the population were 71% and 72% respectively in 2011. The usage demographics according to (IDA , 2014) revealed that 96% of those age ranges 15-34 years accessed the internet while 15% of those age 60 years and above had used the internet in that year. Based on the data above it shows that the elderly population tend not to use the internet as much which could possibly because they do not see the rationale in doing so their everyday life. Thus I believe that there exists a digital divide between the elderly in a family and the rest of the family members.  

Reason for the digital divide and the potential problems as a result

The reason for the digital divide to exist could simply be due to ignorance or lack of knowledge of the benefits of being plugged in, among the elderly.  The digital divide could be due to factors like gender, education and social –economic status (First Monday, 2005). One should note that the diffusion rate of technology among elderly is on the rise but still lags behind the young generation.  However the bigger concern should be the potential problems that could arise as a result of this digital divide between the elderly and younger generation. Such a divide could result in social problems for the elderly as they might feel left out and feel “digitally isolated “from the rest of the family members who are plugged in.  Therefore in this essay I will be mainly focusing the issue of isolation caused by this so called digital divide, evaluate IDA’s on -going efforts to bridge the gap and suggest a solution to narrow the gap the exists.

IDA’s on- going efforts

The Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII) aims to bridge the digital divide among senior citizens by addressing their differences in educational background, language and infocomm competencies (IDA, 2014) The SII includes programmes that provide access to IT training and computer resources, and engage senior citizens in various Silver Infocomm events such as Silver Infocomm Day. Nine senior-friendly and conveniently located IT learning hubs, called Silver Infocomm Junctions (SIJs), are set up island-wide at venues such as Eunos and Bouna Vista community clubs. The SIJs offer affordable infocomm training and customised curriculum for senior citizens. Senior citizens are also able to enjoy follow up tutorials for more in-depth learning (IDA, 2014). The success of the initiative depends on the reach, accessibility and frequency of the initiative. For such efforts to be successful there needs to be a medium for information to be transmitted to the elderly as if they might not be aware of such opportunities available for them.

Proposed solution

Infocomm Development Authority IDA, national agency, organise monthly campaigns around neighbourhoods, to promote the use of internet among the elderly. For example IDA could have computers set up at the campaign with personnels to guide the elderly along basic computer applications like opening a website, browsing the internet and using the internet, search engines like Yahoo and Google to find the necessary information

Conclusion

The digital divide between the younger and older population namely the elderly, is not likely to be closed in the near future however efforts could be channelled to narrow the divide as more and more elderly are opening to the idea of internet and using technology. Thus if the internet become more widely used among the elderly it will reap benefits for them (First Monday, 2005). Ida has been constantly coming up initiatives to bridge the digital divide however what is foremost needed to narrow the gap is a change in the mind-set of the elderly in using ICT.  For such a change to happen, it will take time and effort. Also the burden of narrowing the digital divide should not only fall on government agencies like the IDA but it should be shouldered by everyone especially the younger generation who needs to take step forward to help the elderly assimilate.

Ps- i am still working on the draft and this draft is not complete yet.

Bibliography

First Monday. (2005, October 3). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1286/1206

IDA . (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ida.gov.sg/Infocomm-Landscape/Facts-and-Figures/Infocomm-Usage-Households-and-Individuals#4

IDA. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ida.gov.sg/Collaboration-and-Initiatives/Initiatives/Store/Silver-Infocomm-Junctions-and-Hotspots

Essay outline

Main topic area identified: Digital divide within the basic unit of society à Family i.e Elderly, housewives in the family.

Reasons for the digital divide between the elderly and rest of the family: significant disparities between the different generations with respect to their skills and knowledge of using Information & Communication Technology ICTs.

Initiatives by IDA which are- on going

-The Silver Infocomm Initiative (SII) aims to bridge the digital divide among senior citizens by addressing their differences in educational background, language and infocomm competencies. The SII includes programmes that provide access to IT training and computer resources, and engage senior citizens in various Silver Infocomm events such as Silver Infocomm Day.

Evaluation: The success of the initiative depends on the reach, accessibility and frequency of the initiative as it might take a longer than expected time for the elderly to catch up on technology.

Future plans of IDA:

-Infocomm Development Authority (IDA)’s 10 year master plan: iN2015, which aims to build an infocomm-savvy nation where lives are enriched through infocomm.

-A key strategy is to build a next generation digital communication infrastructure, known as the Next generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN), to prepare the nation to meet the demands of digital technologies and develop an infocomm driven economy.

Proposed solution: Infocomm Development Authority IDA, national agency, organise monthly campaigns around neighbourhoods, to promote the use of internet among the elderly. For example IDA could have computers set up at the campaign with personnels to guide the elderly along basic computer applications like opening a website, browsing the internet and using the internet, search engines like Yahoo and Google to find the necessary information.

Proposed Thesis: As Singapore is moving towards a knowledge based economy (KBE), it inevitably brings about the risk of social digital divide, which is the gap between those who are internet savvy and those who are not, between the elderly and the rest of the family. Thus national agencies like IDA could come in, to organise monthly campaigns to bridge the digital divide.

Reader Response Draft 3

                     In a Euromonitor blog post entitled “Global Digital Divide Persists but Is Narrowing” (2011); it is asserted that the gap in internet accessibility between developed and developing countries is getting smaller. Even though consumers in developed countries have a greater access to internet connection than those in developing countries, the number of consumers with access to internet in the latter is increasing over the past few years. This blog post has also noted that internet usage and access have significant implications on the internet users in both developing and developed countries.

                          I believe that the narrowing of the global digital divide though persistent has impacted both the developing and developed counties in one way or other; however the extent of the impact truly depends on the individual countries’ growth which could possibly alter the extent of the impact.  The blog post firstly, puts forth several positive impacts that arise from increased internet accessibility. Secondly, the blog post also asserts how the narrowing global divide has led to social and cultural globalisation.  And lastly, the author also asserted that the developing countries’ projected growth in digital connectivity will be faster than developed countries, which I feel is subjected to the  growth of the individual developing countries. I feel that in order for the developing countries to fully enjoy the benefits of the narrowing global divide, the developing countries have to be open to changes such as having increased internet accessibility and prepare its citizens adequately to adapt to the changes.

                Firstly, I agree with the assertion made in the blog post that there are various positive impacts such as social and economic on the consumers due to increased internet accessibility .This is particularly true in my case. Gone are the days where telephone was the only mode of communication. Today with the invention of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp we are increasingly connected with each other.  I still remember back in my primary and secondary school days, project meetings were hard to change.  This was because we had to communicate with one another rather than communicate as group but today the situation is quite different as groups can be easily created on Whataspp and communication is made much easier. Such inventions in social media have to be attributed to increased internet accessibility.

               Secondly, another point made in the article is that, the narrowing digital divide has “arguably added to a social and cultural globalization with consumers all over the world able to access a wider choice of things like music, entertainment, brands and products” (Euromonitor International, 2011). Again I find myself nodding to this statement as today almost everything is done online from signing up for credit cards to buying clothes. Five years ago , if someone asked me, if I shopped online my answer will be a “no” as I preferred going down to the shops to get them , but today due to the hectic lifestyles we are leading I prefer buying them online. Indeed I will agree that the narrowing digital divide has resulted in a “cultural and social globalization”.

               Lastly, the article mentions that “The availability of information on the Internet provides a major learning resource for consumers, both in terms of awareness of current affairs but also for training and remote learning. This could help reduce the divide in education and literacy levels between developed and developing regions as well as helping to narrow rural and urban divides (Euromonitor International, 2011). I agree with the above claim as I believe there is a vast amount of information available on the internet for us to use. With a click of a few buttons we can be connected to possibly any part of the world and be aware of what is happening there at any point. 

                    

                 However, I do not agree fully with the above claim made about the with vast amount of information available on the internet increases consumer’s awareness to a point, that it could help reduce the divide in education and literacy rates between developing and developed as not everyone can use what’s on the internet wisely or rather know how to use it to their advantage. So this is the part where I disagree with the author assertion that developing countries’ projected growth in digital connectivity will be faster than developed countries as it really depends on how these countries respond to changes. For a developing country like China which is expected to have the world’s biggest number of broadband users by the year 2020 (Euromonitor International, 2011)  doesn’t guarantee all of china’s citizens will be more internet savvy which will make China more digitally interconnected.

                In conclusion , some of the ideas brought out in the article, made me think further on how the narrowing global divide is of advantage to everyone living in both developed and developing countries but more so for those in developing countries.  However, I feel that the benefits of narrowing global divide will vary across countries as it is dependent on each country’s own development and growth.

Bibliography

Euromonitor International (2011, Feb 11). Global digital divide persists but is narrowing. Retrieved September 04, 2014, from http://blog.euromonitor.com/2011/02/global-digital-divide-persists-but-is-narrowing-1.html

Reader Response Draft 2

                       In a Euromonitor blog post entitled “Global Digital Divide Persists but Is Narrowing” (2011), it is asserted that the gap in internet accessibility between developed and developing countries is getting smaller. Even though consumers in developed countries have a greater access to internet connection than those in developing countries, the number of consumers with access to internet in the latter is increasing over the past few years. This blog post has also noted that internet usage and access have significant implications on the internet users in both developing and developed countries.

                 The blog post firstly, puts forth several positive impacts that arise from increased internet accessibility. Secondly, the blog post also asserts how the narrowing global divide has led to social and cultural globalisation.  And lastly, the author also asserted that the developing countries’ projected growth in digital connectivity will be faster than developed countries, which I feel is subjected to the  growth of the individual developing countries. I feel that in order for the developing countries to fully enjoy the benefits of the narrowing global divide, the developing countries have to open to changes such as having increased internet accessibility and prepare its citizens adequately to adapt to the changes.

                Firstly, I agree with the assertion made in the blog post that there are various positive impacts such as social  and economic on the consumers due to increased internet accessibility as stated in the article “Email and Internet access, especially through social media, allows people to communicate in new ways” (Euromonitor International, 2011). This is particularly true in my case. Gone were the days where telephone was the only mode of communication, today with the invention of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp we are ever more connected.  I still remember back in my primary and secondary school days, project meetings were hard to change.  This was because we had to communicate with one another rather than communicate as group but today the situation is quite different as groups can be easily created on Whataspp and communication is made much easier. Such inventions in social media have to be attributed to increased internet accessibility.

               Secondly, another point made in the article is that, the narrowing digital divide has “arguably added to a social and cultural globalization with consumers all over the world able to access a wider choice of things like music, entertainment, brands and products” (Euromonitor International, 2011). Again I find myself nodding to this statement as today almost everything is done online from signing up for credit cards to buying clothes. Five years ago , if someone asked me, if I shopped online my answer will be a “no” as I preferred going down to the shops to get them , but today due to the hectic lifestyles we are leading I prefer buying them online. Indeed I will agree that the narrowing digital divide has resulted in a “cultural and social globalization”.

               Lastly, the article mentions that “The availability of information on the Internet provides a major learning resource for consumers, both in terms of awareness of current affairs but also for training and remote learning. This could help reduce the divide in education and literacy levels between developed and developing regions as well as helping to narrow rural and urban divides” (Euromonitor International, 2011). I agree with the above claim as I believe there is a vast amount of information available on the internet for us to use. With a click of a few buttons we can be connected to possibly any part of the world and be aware of what is happening there at any point. 

                    

                 However, I do not agree fully with the above claim made about the with vast amount of information available on the internet increases consumer’s awareness to a point, that it could help reduce the divide in education and literacy rates between developing and developed as not everyone can use what’s on the internet wisely or rather know how to use it to their advantage. So this is the part where I disagree with the author assertion that developing countries’ projected growth in digital connectivity will be faster than developed countries as it really depends on how these countries respond to changes. For a developing country like China which is expected to have the world’s biggest number of broadband users by the year 2020” (Euromonitor International, 2011)  doesn’t guarantee all of china’s citizens will be more internet savvy which will make China more digitally interconnected.

                In conclusion , some of the ideas brought out in the article, made me think further on how the narrowing global divide is of advantage to everyone living in both developed and developing countries but more so for those in developing countries.  However, I feel that the benefits of narrowing global divide will vary across countries as it is dependent on each country’s own development and growth.

Bibliography

Euromonitor International (2011, Feb 11). Global digital divide persists but is narrowing. Retrieved September 04, 2014, from http://blog.euromonitor.com/2011/02/global-digital-divide-persists-but-is-narrowing-1.html