Exploring the Digital Divide in Higher Education: Access, Use, and Meaning-Making of Technology among Students: A Case Study of the University of Sargodha

Abstract

The research is developed to investigate whether the digital divide is a multidimensional concept among higher education students at the University of Sargodha, which is used as a case study. Although digital technologies are currently playing a central role in modern learning, there still exist considerable disparities between how students access the devices and the internet, their degree of digital literacy, and how they perceive and meaningfully use the technology. The study uses a qualitative phenomenological design, which utilizes semi- structured interviews with purposefully sampled students to reveal lived experiences in terms of the use of technology. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed three key themes: unequal access, digital skills, and the sociocultural meaning-making processes that students employ to form digital identities and adapt to academic pressures. Results show that digital inequity is not only a question of material access, but it also includes skills-based, psychological, and cultural aspects, which define how students get engaged in learning, their sense of belonging, and academic achievement. It recommended that universities should implement holistic measures to balance equitable and meaningful digital engagement in higher education, such as better infrastructural provision, structured digital literacy education, and inclusive pedagogies.