Open AccessTensions between digital inequalities and digital learning opportunities in Russian universities during the pandemic
Author(s) -
Анна Гладкова,
Массимо Рагнедда,
Е.Л. Вартанова
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
first monday
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1396-0466
pISSN - 1396-0458
DOI - 10.5210/fm.v27i4.12564
Subject(s) - pandemic , argument (complex analysis) , politics , inequality , political science , public relations , sociology , digital divide , covid-19 , media studies , social science , economic growth , information and communications technology , economics , law , medicine , mathematical analysis , biochemistry , chemistry , mathematics , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact upon all spheres of our life — social, economic, cultural, political, academic, and others. A shift to a new digital reality intensified already existing digital gaps and inequalities across societies and social groups within the countries and triggered a discussion about new forms of the digital divides in the pandemic and post-pandemic world. One of the areas that have been seriously affected by a shift to digital life is education. By looking at various educational platforms and tools used by Russian universities since lockdown in spring 2020, both for educational purposes and entrance admission routine, we discuss the challenges and new conflicts digital reality has brought to universities. At the same time, this study focuses on the advantages of this new reality for learning and educational processes. We argue that in the post-pandemic world new digital divides and new demands to university staff members and students have appeared, illustrating this argument with examples from Russia.