Who Is Left Behind? Digital Access and Adult Learners

As someone invested in adult learning and community building, I have often found myself asking how we can innovate with technology and who is truly benefiting from it. When we celebrate the rise of online education, are we paying enough attention to who is being left out? The digital divide remains a persistent and troubling reality, especially for rural learners, older adults, and individuals from low-income backgrounds.

It is not new that internet access is still a daily struggle for adults in rural areas. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one in four rural residents say high-speed internet is a significant issue in their community (Anderson, 2018). That means adult learners in these regions may face serious challenges in logging into a Zoom class, downloading materials, or participating in asynchronous discussions. The convenience of digital education does not apply when the basic infrastructure is missing.

Older adults are also often excluded, less by lack of motivation and more by systems not designed with them in mind. Many have not grown up with digital tools and face challenges such as unfamiliarity with technology, lower digital literacy, and even physical difficulties like poor eyesight or mobility issues. Abedini et al. (2021) noted in their review that despite the promise of online communities for adult learners, older populations require specific support to engage meaningfully. Without tailored guidance and user-friendly design, older adults are likely to disengage before they ever experience the benefits.

In addition, economic disparity adds another layer to this issue. Many low-income adults rely solely on smartphones for internet access, which may be enough for texting and browsing but not for serious learning. Completing assignments, accessing video-based content, or interacting in forums becomes a logistical challenge. As Auxier and Anderson (2020) observed, these constraints were thrown into sharp relief during the pandemic, when students without stable access were immediately disadvantaged. However, it is essential to note that the pandemic did not create these gaps, it amplified them.

Indeed, COVID-19 functioned like a magnifying glass, exposing the inequalities that had long existed in silence. As everything from education to healthcare moved online, those lacking resources were pushed further into the margins. I witnessed how communities that were already underserved became almost invisible in digital spaces. The promise of equitable education fell short, not because technology failed, but because society had not done the work to ensure everyone could benefit from it.

Addressing this requires more than distributing laptops. It means rethinking how we design learning systems, fund internet infrastructure, and deliver digital literacy training. It is about developing inclusive online communities, which Robert Plant (2004) described as grounded in accessibility and driven by human connection and knowledge sharing. Online communities should not just be open in theory; they must be accessible in practice, offering multiple entry points for learners with different abilities, resources, and lived experiences.

When we think about the digital future of adult learning, we must be intentional about equity. Tools alone will not close the gap. From my perspective, we are responsible for ensuring that no learner is left behind as educators, technologists, and community members. I would say that digital inclusion is not a nice-to-have, it is a necessity for justice in education. What do you think about it?


See you soon!

The Great Gatsby.

 

References

Abedini, A., Abedin, B., & Zowghi, D. (2021). Adult learning in online communities of practice: A systematic review. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(4), 1664–1682. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13120

Anderson, M. (2018). About a quarter of rural Americans say access to high-speed internet is a major problem. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/09/10/about-a-quarter-of-rural-americans-say-access-to-high-speed-internet-is-a-major-problem/

Auxier, B., & Anderson, M. (2020). As schools close due to the coronavirus, some U.S. students face a digital ‘homework gap’. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/03/16/as-schools-close-due-to-the-coronavirus-some-u-s-students-face-a-digital-homework-gap/

Plant, R. (2004). Online communities. Technology in Society, 26(1), 51–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2003.10.005

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