Abstract:

The face of South African universities is gradually changing with the rising pass rate from South African high schools (Grade 12s). More students are admitted into tertiary education. However, tertiary attainment among university students is only 7%, the lowest among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and partner countries. The large majority of these students are from digitally challenged backgrounds, limiting access to digitally stored information in universities. The term "digital divide" is sometimes interpreted as unequal or minimal access to information computer technology (ICT) resources between societies due to socio-economic factors. The digital divide is remarkable on a throughput rate of undergraduates in South Africa - demonstrating more university late boomers who have limited or no access to the Internet.

The current research aims to determine the impact of the digital divide on the university and the extent to which ICT resources are used. The study further seeks clarity on the type of hardware devices used by first-year students, as well as the proposed measures that reduce the digital divide to promote increased throughput. The research questions are: what is the impact of the digital divide on university late boomers? How can the university digital innovations improve the throughput rate of university late boomers? To find answers to these questions, a purposive sample was used. Open-ended surveys and focus groups were conducted with first-year university students. A total of fifty students were selected from the Department of Information Technology and the Department of Entrepreneurship. The data collected was analyzed according to the themes.

The constructivist's thematic analysis found the limitations in terms of the e-learning culture that needs improvements for students. The lecturers need to lead by example, using technology in providing learning. It came out strong that the digital divide negatively contributes to the academic performance of the late university boomers, demonstrating a wide gap between the scholars from the city and rural areas. The study revealed that some students have no access to ICT resources, which leads to limited exposure to technology at the university level. Balanced ICT access and resources are highly recommended for all university students.

Keywords:

Accessibility, connectivity, digital divide, e-learning, flexibility, internetwork, ICT.