EDUC-5353 | Week 1 | Defining the Digital Divide

Introduction

Hello. My name is Brad Buttry, and I am the lead of the USAF KC-135 TSSC Instructional Systems Development department. The ISD department is tasked with developing and delivering training courseware for KC-135 tanker aircraft initial qualification pilots (PIQ) and initial qualification boom operators (BIQ). These students are the entry-level population of our program, and they enter training with very little experience which requires basic skills to perform their jobs effectively. Although I am not employed in a traditional K-12 educational setting, my role does include designing instructional materials for adult learners and combining technology with good pedagogical practice to achieve effective training outcomes.

Characterizing My Community

For this course, I am focusing on the PIQ and BIQ students and their unique challenges as they navigate the transition into the aircrew training school. I aim to address how the digital divide impacts continuation training (CT) for students located overseas or at the 13 other U.S. training sites. My “Call to Action” project will target equitable access to digital learning tools and reliable online resources to bridge these gaps, ultimately serving the USAF training community.

Demographics

Even though specific socio-economic information is not published for PIQ and BIQ students, the U.S. Air Force draws recruits from across a large spectrum of economic classes within the United States. This large spectrum might have implications regarding technology access and digital literacy for training experiences particularly in technologically rich environments.

The students representing the PIQ and BIQ community are very diverse, with people from different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds. Students come to the aircrew training school from different places both within the country and around the world — many do not have good access to the internet. Financial issues exacerbate this problem, as the students may not be familiar with the advanced digital tools needed for effective training. These challenges become worse because military aviation training is high-pressure and requires quick learning of many difficult skills. Being in the military also brings with it logistical challenges, such as deployments and moving, which can make ongoing training resources difficult to access.

Additionally, structural issues, such as a lack of support systems and systemic barriers, are key contributors to inequities in retention and completion rates for underrepresented groups in education and training contexts. For example, the graduation rate for Black cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy has averaged 66% over the last decade, compared with 80% for the overall student body. This gap points to the broader problem of inequity with regard to resource access, mentorship, and other opportunities that ensure success (Bryson, 2024).

Insights from the Week 1 Readings

The readings highlighted several key issues relevant to my context:

Turner-Lee (2018) emphasized that the digital divide extends beyond basic internet access to include disparities in broadband quality, affordability, and digital literacy​. For PIQ and BIQ students, these issues manifest as uneven access to tools like virtual reality or online continuation training computer based modules, especially for those stationed overseas or at remote sites.

The NCES report underscored how access disparities vary by geography, income, and race (Hemphill et al., 2021). Similarly, learning crewmembers experience uneven access based on their location and the resources available at their assigned bases. For example, some U.S. based sites have high-speed internet, while overseas locations may rely on satellite connections with severe latency issues.

Call to Action

My preliminary idea for the "Call to Action" project will focus on two objectives:

1. Advocating for policies and funding to improve access to high-speed internet and cutting-edge training tools (e.g., AR/VR) for USAF training sites, including remote and overseas locations.
   
   
2. Developing a framework to ensure equitable access to digital learning for PIQ and BIQ students, addressing both infrastructure and digital literacy needs.

The primary goal of the “Call to Action” is to bridge the digital divide for initial qualification students. My research will help to provide solutions that enable every aircrew trainee to succeed, regardless of their starting point or location.

References:

Bryson, D. (2024, March 3). Two Black cadets and the struggle for diversity at an elite US military institution. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-race-academy/

Hemphill, C., Wang, Y., Forster, D., Scott, C., & Wilburn, G. (2021, June 9). Students’ access to the internet and digital devices at home. National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/blogs/nces/post/students-access-to-the-internet-and-digital-devices-at-home

Turner-Lee, N. (2018, October 5). Who’s left out by America’s digital divide? [Audio podcast episode]. Dews, F. (Host), Brookings Cafeteria. Brookings Institution. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whos-left-out-by-americas-digital-divide/id717265500?i=1000421163687