Describe three of the four levels of technocapital and what can be done to help others achieve better access

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: The first and perhaps most important level of technocapital, and perhaps the easiest to overcome, is awareness. This refers to the extent to which an individual is conscious of a particular technology and its potential utility. The second level is material access to digital hardware—having the necessary components in order to work online. Most public policy currently focuses on this area. For example, one U.S. federal program uses telephone taxes to pay for Internet connections in elementary schools; state and local funds are used to pay for Internet connections at public libraries; and companies donating computer and technical training are given tax incentives. The third level is knowledge. Many nonusers view lack of training and lack of user-friendly technology, or lack of digital readiness, as barriers, and frustration levels can be significant. To facilitate skills access, hardware and software developers must better understand the minds of users, taking into consideration their diverse cultural communication norms and practices. Finally, we need to consider technological capacity of the individual’s social collective. This considers how other members of a person’s network see the importance of and use of particular technologies.