Brecha digital en estudiantes de la escuela de educación: Facultad de Humanidades y Educación . Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida - Venezuela

Abstract

New generations have grown up within the computer technology expansion, close to devices and high tech resources and access to information through various media. However, some aspects such as: Technological infrastructure, the degree of technological literacy and socio-economic conditions can lead them to disparities related with the access of new technologies and their information, which is known as a digital gap. This article includes the study of some aspects of this digital gap among students from The School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Education (ULA-Merida) who are studying the subject “Introduction to Informatics”. A Multiple Correspondence analysis was applied, including 29 active variables related to the possession and use of various technological devices. On the first factorial level, it was projected, as an additional variable, the specialty of 110 students who were studying the semester A-2009. This factorial plane gathers the 36.8% of the total variance; and on it, it was observed a slightly horseshoe effect. Mathematic students were projected over the fourth quadrant closed to the points that reflect more limitation to the access of technological resources, contrary to learners who are studying the Preschool specialty who are si- tuated on the opposite side of the horseshoe. Possible factors that may are affecting such differences are discussed.