E-Learning, Is It Tool for Social Inclusion?

Abstract

本文的目的在指出對應數位落差的處境和政策，並檢視E化學習做為一有效工具對社會邊緣團體增能的潛力。儘管韓國的資訊化快速發展，老年人和殘障人士在網際網路的使用率上卻遠低於全國的平均水準。在韓國無法使用網際網路的主要原因之一仍然是在於缺乏能力，儘管政府在改善人民數位讀寫能力方面已做了極大的努力。E化學習做為一種結束數位落差的方便且有效的工具已被普遍地認同。在韓國，有十七個網路大學正在運作，並有超過三萬個學生在網路大學註冊學習。BaeUm Nara project（以E化學習為基礎的資訊科技訓練計畫）也有提供聽障與視障人士特殊的訓練課程。如此，E化學習做為一個改善社會邊緣團體知能的工具擁有極大的潛力。然而，如果E化計畫不能顧慮到社會邊緣團體的肢體和社會處境，則它將會現有的數位有產者和數位無產者的知識鴻溝而非減輕。

Purposes of this paper are to show the status and policies for the digital divide, and to review the potential of e-learning as a efficient tool to improve capacity of socially marginalized persons. Despite a rapid expansion of informatization in Korea, internet usage rates for elderly and people with disabilities are far below the national average. One of main reason not to use the Internet in Korea is still the lack of abilities despite massive efforts of Government to improve people's digital literacy. E-learning is widely recognized as a convenient and effective tool to close the digital divide. In Korea, 17 cyber universities are functioning and more than 30,000 students are enrolled in cyber universities. BaeUm Nara project(e-learning based IT training program) is also offering special training programs for the deaf and blind. As such, e-learning has a great potential as a tool to improve knowledge of socially marginalized groups. However, if e-learning project does not fully consider the physical and social situation of socially marginalized groups, it will deepen the existing knowledge gap between digital haves and digital have-nots rather than narrow the gap.