Digital Technologies for Online Higher-Education: The Creators and Killers of Digital Divides

Abstract

The digital technologies have gained continuous momentum during the last decades in emerging economies. Contemporary world is divided into ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ on the basis of access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) mainly internet. This is called digital-divide: classification of the global-community into digitally literate and illiterate citizens. ICTs are said to be the main cause of this problem however the same technologies offer opportunities to not only bridge the digital divide but also improve life particularly, higher-education. This paper brings together the experience and viewpoints of researchers about the definition, causes, ICT-based solutions and hurdles in implementing online higher education in the universities to manage digital-divides in the developing countries. Based on the literature about the digital technologies and its application in the different spheres, it is argued that ICTs are not threats rather the opportunities provided they are harnessed in tune with the human and non-human contexts of the higher education in Pakistan.