24 Discussions
Jaspereric
Week14_Dis2Replies.docxVICTORIA BATISTA
WednesdayDec 8 at 3:12pm
To compliment the discussion on thread one for this week, a major challenge in confronting governments in the years to come will relate to the attempts of implementing IT going forward to realize positive change would be the citizen participation. Citizen participation may come as a major challenge in attempts to implement IT going forward because citizens may not understand the technological advancements that are being made to bring them positive changes. As well as citizens not having the proper knowledge to understand some uses of the technology that has been installed at their workplace. The challenge with citizens not taking part in accepting new technological advancements leads to not listen to the government on how these advancements will assist them in the future. As discussed previously, the idea of a smart city does in fact rely on the advances of IT and being able to deliver this to the public will impact the way society functions. In this case without the citizens participation in wanting to accept technological advancements and IT services then they would not be able to reach the goal of obtaining a smart city. These technological advancements have been designed to make it more cost effective and efficient for citizens to accept in society and be able to provide an easy and effective service in which they could rely on. With the citizens lack of knowledge towards implementing IT and their lack in participation of accepting these advancements would create difficulty in the years to come.
WednesdayDec 8 at 4:35pm
Technology illiteracy and lack of accessibility to technology is a major challenge the government faces when implementing IT. Now that many businesses and government services have transformed to virtual platforms, it’s crucial for all citizens to have equal access. The gap between those with access to IT services and those without is best known as the digital divide and tends to “foster disparities in basic computer literacy, which translates into far greater socioeconomic implications” (Gibbs, 2018). Those in poorer neighborhoods tend to lack internet access in their homes leaving them to use public libraries. Jaeger and Bertot found that among those who use the public library to access the internet, “52.4% do not own a computer, 42.4% lack access both at home and at work, 40% are there because access is free, and 38.1% rely on the assistance of librarians” (Jaeger & Bertot, 2010, pg. 373).
In addition to lacking internet access many citizens struggle with computer literacy, putting them at a disadvantage to formulate emails, conduct simple web searches, or comprehend how to use online government services. How then can they be expected to engage with government if they do not understand the terminology or content? A positive change would not only be to provide computers and technological devices to those in areas without access, but to couple it with computer literacy programs for these groups. “While more devices are necessary, basic introductory courses should accompany them. Courses that will “enhance participants’ skill sets and ensure they become self-sufficient” (Gibbs, 2018). There are some populations who have historically been disenfranchised from government access, according to week 10’s lecture, and it has caused a clear divide among those who are informed of and those who aren’t. The more citizens who not only have access to but understanding of e-government, the better they will be able to use the resources provided through these online portals and connect with the government.
References
Gibbs, N. (2018, January 21). The Impact of Technological Illiteracy. Richmond Journal of Law and Technology. Retrieved from https://jolt.richmond.edu/2018/01/21/the-impact-of-technological-illiteracy/.
Jaeger, P. T., & Bertot, J. C. (2010). Transparency and Technological Change: Ensuring Equal and Sustained Public Access to Government Information. Government Information Quarterly, 27(4), 371–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2010.05.003
