A Case Study in Digital Inclusion and Sustainability in Regional New Zealand

Abstract

Firstly, Digital Inclusion involves ensuring everyone can access computer technologies to participate in the constantly growing online information society. One of the challenges to digital inclusion for lower income groups is cost. Digital Inclusion is related to the second concept of Social Sustainability. This includes (among other sub-topics) social capital, community development, and social equity. Thirdly, Digital Sustainability can be seen as having modern technology tools as an approach to support environmental and social sustainability, as for example, in [1]. The interest of this paper is to investigate a current technology or device that may be potentially used in a beneficial way toward these three concepts. This research is guided by an action research and social change model with three phases (Planning, Action, and Results). With the present research, the trial has involved rolling out Raspberry Pi 400 computers (which will be referred to as single board computers later in the paper) for home use, coupled with an inexpensive community internet scheme to access news, e-government and educational websites. It should also be noted here that the devices come with keyboards and the displays are provided for free by local organisations and the e-recycling centre. After use, the devices are received back by the institute, in order to be recycled or provided to new users in the community. The accompanying review of academic literature and technical websites indicates that there is a gap around using these devices for the general population digital inclusion purposes, and that this is a novel approach. The participants were interested because of the opportunity to receive new equipment. This article has two research questions: 1) Can inexpensive pre-configured single board computers be used on a daily basis by lower-income citizens? and 2) How can such use help toward social and digital sustainability? The method is action research with an evaluation of the technology, whether or not it makes a positive contribution toward the solution for digital access cost restrictions. Feedback has been obtained from users in the latter months of 2021, with a questionnaire and diary as well as observations from the research team. The interim findings and reflections indicate that this project is feasible and socially beneficial as long as it continues to be led from this institute.