The COVID-19 pandemic pushed much of life online for several years, and a concerted effort was made to ensure students who don’t have easy internet access could still learn.
But now,a study from Michigan State University researchersfinds those advancements to address broadband and internet connectivity in the state’s rural communities are beginning to fade.
WKAR's Sophia Saliby spoke with Keith Hampton, the interim director of MSU’sQuello Center, who co-conducted the study.
Interview Highlights
On what happened to students ability to connect online during the pandemic
When the COVID pandemic first hit, of course, we're all very concerned, as everyone started to move online, what would happen to those students. But what happened was is that local districts mobilized very, very quickly using local, state and federal resources to provide mostly hotspots to young people so they could access internet from home. And so, we went from a situation where about 20% of students were disconnected to only about 4% during the height of the pandemic.
On what's happened in the years since the height of the pandemic
From the height of the pandemic, until about a year later, we're already starting to see a decline in home internet access for rural students. So, we went from about 4%, disconnected, already down to about 7% disconnected. And as school districts increasingly start to have fewer resources to provide both laptops, Chromebooks and those types of wireless hotspots, we're expecting rates of disconnection to increase dramatically.
On how these trends are impacting students
We know the students who don't have broadband access at home are still underperforming, compared to their peers. The difference between say, a B- average and a B+ average for most students. We know that students who have better connections at home develop better digital skills. And those students have more interest in both STEM careers going on to post-secondary education. And they tend to have a lot better outcomes in other ways as well.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: The COVID-19 pandemic pushed much of our life online for several years, and a concerted effort was made to ensure students who don’t have easy internet access could still learn.
But now, a study from Michigan State University researchers finds those advancements to address broadband and internet connectivity in the state’s rural communities are beginning to fade.
Keith Hampton is interim director at MSU’s Quello Center. He co-conducted the study and he’s here with me now. Thanks for joining me.
Keith Hampton: Thank you.
Sophia Saliby: Can you talk about what happened during the pandemic to get more students connected to broadband?
Hampton: Yeah, so back in 2019, we had the opportunity to interview about 3,000 students from rural Michigan schools. At the time, we found out that about 20% of students didn't have any kind of internet access at home.
And so, later that year, when the COVID pandemic first hit, of course, we're all very concerned, as everyone started to move online, what would happen to those students. But what happened was is that local districts mobilized very, very quickly using local, state and federal resources to provide mostly hotspots to young people, so they could access internet from home.
And so, we went from a situation where about 20% of students were disconnected to only about 4% during the height of the pandemic.
Saliby: And what specifically did your study find going from that 2019 to during the pandemic to now 2023?
Hampton: Well, the bad news is, is that from the height of the pandemic, until about a year later, we're already starting to see a decline in home internet access for rural students. So, we went from about 4%, disconnected, already down to about 7% disconnected.
And as school districts increasingly start to have fewer resources to provide both laptops, Chromebooks and those types of wireless hotspots, we're expecting rates of disconnection to increase dramatically.
Saliby: So, it's really tied to those financial resources that districts were getting during the pandemic that they don't have now for that back slide?
Hampton: Yes, and there are federal and state resources becoming available to increase the broadband infrastructure that was missing from a lot of rural Michigan. But it's going to take years, four, six, maybe even 10 years before those initiatives start to show benefits in terms of increased broadband connectivity.
And what we really need are new resources in the interim, to make sure students have the connectivity that they need to excel in terms of completing their homework, grades and even things like performance on standardized exams.
Saliby: And how are these trends impacting students? Their wellbeing but also their grades at school?
Hampton: We know the students who don't have broadband access at home are still underperforming compared to their peers. The difference between say, a B- average and a B+ average for most students. We know that students who have better connections at home develop better digital skills.
And those students have more interest in both STEM careers going on to post-secondary education. And they tend to have a lot better outcomes in other ways as well.
Saliby: And then looking forward, you kind of gave us a long-term outlook. But what seems to be the most cost effective way in the short term that both states and school districts can use to get students connected?
Hampton: Well, it's both an issue of cost in terms of making sure that local districts have access to hotspots and laptops. But it's also an issue of changing our focus a little bit from initially ensuring that people have access to ensuring that they can maintain access over time.
And so, what we're finding is that there's a good proportion of students who have access insecurities. And that is, is that they're moving from, say one household to another household, or their technology breaks down. And they're in a situation where they're just unable to maintain that connectivity throughout the school year.
And schools just don't have the resources or the means to identify those students in time to get them the kind of technological support that they need.
Saliby: Keith Hampton is the interim director at MSU's Quello Center. Thank you for being here.
Hampton: Thank you.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
