Does Wi-Fi/Data Connectivity Disadvantage OU Students?

Since March 2020 many of us have had to move to working from home using our home internet whether as Wi-Fi or data.  As well as work shifting to online, The Open University also moved all its tuition seminars online.    

Prior to March 2020, there had been a blended approach, with some tuition seminars online and some in venues across the United Kingdom.  As well as balancing work, family and pets when trying to study online at home, students have had to rely on their local broadband speeds and/or data coverage.  Although there is reasonable coverage across the United Kingdom, it is not universal.   

Across the United Kingdom, the plan is to have a superfast broadband speed of 24Mbit/s. However, many areas have speeds of 2Mbit/s.  The speed is slowed when the distance from the in-street cabinet exceeds 1.2km, and for some more rural areas, the distance from the cabinet to home exceeds 3km.  For some, there is a digital connectivity divide. 

Despite distance education providing opportunities and access to higher education, there is a question as to whether there is parity of student experience based on access to Broadband Wi-Fi and/or Data connectivity, which may be due to where the student lives.   

This project is considering whether there have been any issues for Geography students accessing online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic due to their digital connectivity.  If this has been the case, ways to ensure greater inclusivity due to digital connectivity will be explored.