Role of Inculcative Multimedia in Narrowing the Digital Divide

Abstract

This study explores the assertion that the development of inculcative multimedia has a key role to play in efficaciously reducing the impacts of the digital divide particularly in the context of developing nations. This assertion is predicated on the premise that the ecumenical diffusion of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) should not be guided by a technologically deterministic approach but situated in the context of a felicitous development and critical theory of technology methodology, which takes into account a comprehensive range of gregarious, cultural, political and economic enabling factors. Such an approach is a feature of a gregarious and community informatics framework.Within this context, facilitating the expansion of electronic literacy, culturally appropriate online content and interfaces through the development of Inculcative multimedia can assist the process of social inclusion within developing countries. Before examining the role of Inculcative multimedia in this context, the study critically analyses the conception of the digital divide and why ICTs have come to be seen as the panacea to the problems of global development.The results of the study shows the notion of the digital divide, the factors contributing to it and the solutions pertaining to it are widely contested. A technologically deterministic perspective of the digital divide proposes solutions predicated on access as defined by the physical constructs.This appears to be the authenticity of much public policy to date and haplessly appears to be exacerbating the digital divide within countries. What is required to address the digital divide is a gregarious and community informatics perspective, predicated on a critical theory of technology, which places more preponderant accentuation on broader development goals.Utilizing a gregarious and community informatics perspective, the role of inculcation and Inculcative multimedia, and in particular the issues of electronic literacy, online content and interface design, is fundamental. In a practical sense these issues can be addressed by facilitating indigenous and non-Western cultures to be actively engaged in the development of their own online content and interfaces thus withal promoting democratization of edification and diversifying the nature of online cognizance and languages.