Technology and social inequality in education

a critical perspective on digital inclusion

Abstract

This article offers a critical analysis of digital inclusion within the Brazilian educational context, emphasizing the social inequalities that affect both access to and appro

This article offers a critical analysis of digital inclusion within the Brazilian educational context, emphasizing the social inequalities that affect both access to and appropriation of technology. Although the discourse surrounding technological innovation is often associated with the democratization of knowledge, the mere availability of digital resources does not ensure equitable participation in educational processes. On the contrary, so-called “digital inclusion” often conceals new forms of exclusion, rooted in structural inequalities of class, race, territory, and lack of integrated public policies. Through a critical literature review, drawing on theorists such as Manuel Castells, Paulo Freire, Pierre Lévy, and Jan van Dijk, the text examines the multiple layers of digital exclusion and proposes an approach that connects technology, social justice, and critical education. The aim is to argue that digital inclusion, beyond being a technical issue, must be understood as a social right supported by intersectoral policies and emancipatory pedagogical processes.

priation of technology. Although the discourse surrounding technological innovation is often associated with the democratization of knowledge, the mere availability of digital resources does not ensure equitable participation in educational processes. On the contrary, so-called “digital inclusion” often conceals new forms of exclusion, rooted in structural inequalities of class, race, territory, and lack of integrated public policies. Through a critical literature review, drawing on theorists such as Manuel Castells, Paulo Freire, Pierre Lévy, and Jan van Dijk, the text examines the multiple layers of digital exclusion and proposes an approach that connects technology, social justice, and critical education. The aim is to argue that digital inclusion, beyond being a technical issue, must be understood as a social right supported by intersectoral policies and emancipatory pedagogical processes.