Without better access to digital learning the UK will not achieve its economic ambitions 

To support End Digital Poverty Day 2024, Paul McKean, Jisc’s director for FE, skills and training, highlights how poor access to online education, including AI, could further widen the attainment gap for learners 

The Covid-19 pandemic irrevocably changed the global learning landscape, accelerating the push for learners to access and interact with education digitally and highlighting a pressing need for improved digital skills outside of tech subjects. 

The evolution of the classroom 

Four years on and the situation is still evolving. Jisc’s latest Digital Experience Insights (DEI) learner surveys for 2023/24 show that across both further and higher education (FE and HE) the majority of teaching is again being done in the classroom (81% and 67% respectively).  

However, only about half of students preferred a mainly on campus experience. Indeed, HE students learned while using technology in a variety of locations, including at home (89%), in public spaces (41%) and at work (22%). In FE, 88% of learners used technology while at home, 19% in public spaces, and 9% at work. 

Online and blended learning can enable education at a time and place that best suits the learner – improving access to courses that may not have been possible through physical attendance alone, and opening opportunities for lifelong learning. But these benefits can only be realised if adequate equipment and connectivity are available to the user. 

Digital inequality and widening the attainment gap 

The 2023/24 DEI learner data shows that students and learners across HE and FE continue to experience a wide range of difficulties when using digital technologies in learning. 45% of FE respondents and 42% of HE experienced problems accessing mobile data, while 55% of respondents in HE and 60% in FE reported issues with poor Wi-Fi connections.  

Our research shows that accessing adequate connectivity to support digital learning has become increasingly difficult for student respondents over the last two years since the 2021/22 DEI findings. As digital skills become an increasingly important part of education and employment it is clear intervention is needed to support learners to reach their potential. 

As well as poor connectivity, students and learners also expressed problems accessing suitable devices. 41% of respondents in FE said they struggled adequately participating in digital learning because they didn’t have access to a suitable device, with 34% in HE experiencing the same.  

In FE, 5% of respondents relied solely on a smartphone for learning, highlighting the stark contrast in levels of advantage across the sectors and an urgent need to level the playing field. 

Equitable AI 

We have seen a huge boom in the usage of generative AI (genAI) in education across our membership over the last two years, with tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint Live, Google Bard and Teachermatic helping to improve inclusivity in the classroom and lighten the admin load for teachers.  

Learners are using genAI to augment their learning, seeing it as an effective digital assistant to provide support in a number of different ways. For example, learners with limited support from family and friends are using genAI tools to proofread their work and provide feedback, in the same way a parent or carer would do. 

The clear message from our latest student perceptions of AI report launched earlier this year, is that students and learners across FE and HE want to see more AI integrated throughout the curriculum. However, respondents expressed concerns about equity, bias and accessibility issues related to genAI and want educators to address these challenges in a safe, inclusive and responsive way. 

Experts within Jisc’s AI team found that if a student were to subscribe to a full suite of popular generative AI tools and education plug-ins, it could cost them around £1,000 a year. This would push generative AI out of reach for many, including learners from low-income families. There is a danger the digital divide will increase without institutional support to provide universal access to these tools. 

Digital as an enabler 

In today’s job market, having a workforce equipped with digital skills is essential for any business looking to thrive and grow, making fair access to digital learning vital for those looking to succeed. 

In a recent speech to launch the extension of two start-up investment schemes, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves stated that the UK is a “world leader in tech with more unicorns than Germany and Sweden combined” and expressed her desire to ensure the future workforce has the tech skills to maintain and grow this competitive advantage.  

The need for digital to be seen as a critical part of education for learners, students and staff alike, is imperative as wider society embraces the benefits of technologies. 

As the vital sector partner for tertiary education and research in the UK, Jisc is working closely with our members and industry to support equitable access to online and blended learning.  

In April this year we launched Extending Eduroam in partnership with Cradlepoint and Sky Business, a portable solution providing internet connectivity for students and staff looking to access education safely in areas with no connection to Wi-Fi. We’ve already received feedback from users who have been able to access online learning from public libraries, sports facilities and even on public transport, bringing digital equity a step closer for those that need it. 

More must be done to ensure all learners have access to the equipment and connectivity they need to achieve their ambitions, and to support the UK economy. With the emergence of genAI and its impact on how we learn and work, there is a real danger those who are already disadvantaged by digital poverty could be set even further back, widening the attainment gap and preventing learners from reaching their goals.  

Jisc supports institutions in the development of responsible and ethical AI strategy and policy, ensuring the relevant generative AI literacy skills are incorporated into curricula, keeping learners safe, and preparing them for the future. 

We will continue to work with our members, sector bodies, industry and government to help ensure disadvantaged individuals and communities are not excluded from education.