Digital Inequities and Societal Context: Digital Transformation as a Conduit to Achieve Social and Epistemic Justice: Digital Transformation as a Conduit to Achieve Social and Epistemic Justice

Siyabonga Mhlongo, Reuben Dlamini

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In society, digital technology has often been viewed as a solution to systemic inequalities. However, approaching digital technologies from a utility perspective places these tools at crossroads with broader social and contextual issues. This results in epistemological tensions rather than achieving the intended goal of institutional equity. South Africa is confronted with an unprecedented unequal access to quality education, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities. With this backdrop, the authors offer a theoretical critique of epistemological and ontological paradigms on the problematic complexities of digital transformation. They posit that digital transformation is critical to achieving social and epistemic justice, more so in the increasingly dynamic virtual spaces in education. Hence, this chapter offers constructive suggestions to further a paradigm shift on the myopic epistemic that imposes dichotomy in the higher education sector, thereby encumbering quality learning and development. Framing justice as equity and access allows for education to be viewed as a public good, hence the importance of creating commonplaces for knowledge development through constructivist-oriented practices. These commonplaces afford students unprecedented connections to widen their context of learning so to expand their perspectives, bypass gatekeepers to knowledge acquisition and create reciprocal relationships with their educators.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages1-15
Number of pages15
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Publication series

NameIFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume645
ISSN (Print)1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)1868-422X

Keywords

  • Digital capital
  • Digital divide
  • Digital economy
  • Digital inequity
  • Digital transformation
  • Epistemic justice
  • Social justice

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Information Systems
  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Information Systems and Management

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