Course:GEOG350/2024/Chapter 5 : Data

Introduction

In class, we've explored the benefits of digital literacy, how data can be used to improve our communities and the affects of these improvements have on the city of Vancouver. In the past couple of years, our community has been able to move towards a more advanced system. For example, our transit system is equipped with compass cards, many restaurants are equipped with cash payment methods and many healthcare services are now accessible from the touch of our fingertips. For the average Vancouver consumer, these systems allow us to enjoy a more seamless experience. However, it is the low income families, vulnerable individuals and seniors that are falling behind when it comes to their low digital literacy. When this happens, they may experience a lower access to resources which can result in them being alienate from those who benefit from it. Also, as we are moving away from cashless forms of payments, this affects those who do not have access to credit cards/bank accounts and may limit the services that they can use. It is important to explore how we can create an equitable space that embraces everyone in order to function as a healthy organism, exploring through different cities while remaining affordable, or at least try to, and the effects of many children who were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, we will explore how many children are behind in their studies due to the inability to access learning materials that ultimately led to an educational disparity. The halt in these services meant that children who relied on school as a safe space, a meal and for learning were left to learn on their own. Those who were affected the most were low-income families who depended on these services. Therefore, in order to maintain a sustainable community that improves our nature process we need to explore how the concentrated services are being used, and if it is useable by everyone around us.

Overview of issue/focus

There are many factors that prevent our community from benefitting off of all the technological advances. Whether it is limited access to resources, or hindered digital literacy, it affects both the older and younger generation as a whole. During the COVID-19 lockdown, schools in Vancouver began to experience the shift to online learning , many students would say that this allowed them to spend more time picking up new hobbies, enjoy the extra study time, and even learn at their own time/pace. Unfortunately, for many students this reality brought many problems that do not have a simple answer. When this plan to implement online learning came into effect, it was assumed that every family had reliable Internet and access to a quiet space and on-site help if needed. Although this was the ideal set up, for those who are low income, english not their first language, and for those who lack the support they needed it became a nightmare. This conclusion is supported in the educational disparities that were present within vulnerable children since those with disabilities and low-income families face larger barriers for many students. School was a safe space where they could access meal programs, have a trusted adult present, or perhaps a break from any home troubles that may have been occurring. Under the British Columbia completion rate chart, the average local student is expected to complete high school. However, data shows that in 2023, the completion rate was about 94% for the average student. Those in the diverse abilities category and indigence category showed a 20% difference between those in the BC resident category. Although there are many factors that attribute to this number can be assumed that the lack of a stable classroom environment, and the reliance for at home learning played in this role. Research that was done by “Sick Kids”, showed that over 70% of children, experienced a form of heightened stress, depression, anxiety, social isolation from the effects of the absence of cancelled group activities, extracurriculars, and spending time with friends and family. With almost no activities to attend many young children between the ages of 3 to 18 spent their time online. So for those who did not have an intermediate understanding of the digital space, the inability to have access to high-speed Internet or a phone to make a call made this time period unbearable. This issue is a global phenomenon since the whole world responded to the COVID-19 lockdown in similar ways with schools being 100% online the learning of students were halted. This resulted in students returning to the classroom with worsen literacy in reading and writing, and they were not held back a grade.

Over the years, the Translink system has been created to help with transportation needs from our citizens. The goal was to allow an affordable and efficient means to get around the city that connects residents to the main Tri-Cities, too reduce traffic congestion since having access to safe public transportation can help mitigate vehicle congestion. Our transit system also a promotes healthy, active lifestyle, such as encouraging our patrons to cycle and to use a mix of transport systems in conjunction with their cars to support a balance lifestyle. It was built to be an affordable method of transportation, but as our population grows, there were drawbacks that affected the efficiency and reliability of this technological advancement. The main issues were the increasing crimes and concerns regarding the public safety while taking public transit along with increasing cost. The fares have been increasing every year and patrons find that it is almost no longer affordable to take transit on a daily basis. An issue that is specific to Vancouver is the availability of coverage.In high density cities, such as downtown Vancouver, Burnaby, and Richmond, there are many transit routes that make it easier to get around town. However, smaller suburbs, or the slight outskirts in Vancouver received minimal service, and it is very difficult for those who rely on public transit as their main form of transportation. Several ways that the TransLink system has integrated technology is the use of their mobile app. This app provides users with real time updates on their trains and schedules and allows them to plan their excursions ahead of time. Also the introduction of the compass card and contactless forms of payments make it easier to pay for fares, unfortunately, for those with limited digital literacy, and those who do not have access to a form of contactless payment and rely heavily on cash will struggle to make use of this means of transportation. As mention, it is assumed that those who are vulnerable, low income, or seniors will face difficulty with accessing this important resource.

Case Study of the issue

As we analyze the effects of prolong school closure due to the effects of COVID-19, we begin to realize how it negatively impacted our future students and learners within Vancouver. In terms of educational disruptions, the prolonged school closures in Vancouver was abrupt, and many students were not able to transition to online learning, especially during the middle of the school year. Many have struggled with access to learning materials, reliable internet, and support. This led to many learning gaps that were later contributed to the sudden decision to convert to remote learning. With the absence of in person learning, these gaps meant that many students will be left behind and face even more anxieties and struggles as they attempt to catch back up with their peers as they transitioned back to in person learning. Around the globe, reports have indicated that there is a decline in literacy rates amongst students in kindergarten to grade 12. This can be attributed to the reduction of direct interaction with teachers and in person support workers as many students who are struggling in school, rely on these services to improve. We are now seeing many high school students who are transitioning to university/college with reading competencies that are below acceptable along with computer skills that are inadequate. Although, one can argue that the skills that can be improved on exposes the weakness in the system, when there is a lack of support, when remote learning became the norm for over two years.

When students are in class, they have access to a plethora of resources, including books, teacher, aids, computers, libraries, and more. Therefore, a significant number of families in Vancouver do not have these resources at home, which resulted in their inability to contribute to online learning effectively. Although for those who are considered “better off”, the shift to online learning meant that they had more time for their hobbies, families and extracurricular activity’s. For those groups of people, they were able to develop their technological skills as they had to adapt in short period time to the online platforms that were being used during the lockdown. An issue that arose is the long amount of screen time that all students were exposed to. Teachers have reported that students returning to the classroom are now disengaged in class and are glued to their phones and devices. With the rise of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression amongst students in Vancouver, their inability to interact one another can be associated with the negative impact of isolation. Speaking from a personal experience it was a great experience to be able to provide free tutoring services for elementary students in the downtown east side. Volunteers were partnered up with low income families or new immigrants that struggled with the English language. it was shocking to see how many children were placed in a classroom based on their age and not on their language competency. Many of the students that were under my supervision were reading 3 to 5 grade levels below their grade. Also majority of the students did not have access to a reliable network or a safe place at home during these tutoring sessions, and they relied on resources such as the neighbourhood house to provide a safe place, food, and an education. If these students had the option to rent iPads or laptops, they would be able to access more learning materials and improve their digital literacy, and english competency in order to be successful in the following grades. At this time, they are solely relying on the neighbourhood house to provide, these equipments and it is not a reliable way for children to learn. Many children rely on their parents for emotional and support in school when a teacher is not present. When a home environment is not safe, students from disadvantaged backgrounds will face challenges that they would not experience in a school setting. Overall, if the city of Vancouver focusses on improving the literacy gap and ensuring that children were able to learn outside from school with the proper access to resources, we would be able to close the gap between disadvantage students and lower graduation rates.

Earlier this week, Translink has released a statement that expressed its plan to address the funding gap. Their aim is to provide cost reductions without any disruption to services, however, with an increase in transit users we will be faced with assessability issues. When a transit system is a reliable form of transportation, it can help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, especially during peak hours when traffic is heavy and consistent. It is also been reported that with increase use of public transit, there is a decrease in private vehicles on the road. This is encouraging for those living in the suburbs and the outskirts of Vancouver as they will have a more efficient route to get to work, especially if their workplace is in the city center. Vancouver is aiming to be zero-net waste by 2040 and there are environmental benefits that public transit contributes to. It aids in the reduction of gas, emissions and air pollutions and recently has integrated electric buses to offer a more sustainable way to travel. In terms of accessibility, the company isn’t an affordable option for low income, families, seniors, and students who may have a tighter budget due to circumstances. The ability to access public transit will allow these people to access more resources and essential services. We are beginning to see more technical integrations within the company and from a users experience perspective, the development of the Transit app allows real – time updates on the arrivals of trains and buses, along with access to maps to guide you to your destination. Technology makes it easier for residence to explore the city and for tourist who are navigating our routes. The reloadable compass cards are beneficial as it is a pre-loaded card that allows access to public transit. It also provides the ability to track where the users last positions were. This can help people locate those who may have gon missing and offer an insight of where they can be. Translink has integrated technology and data continuously through their maintenance programs. With the use of data analytics, it can help them analyze the best time to provide maintenance services and potential problems before they happen if the services are reliable and safe, it will encourage more people to use it . Our Canada line and Millennium line uses an automated sky train system that is reliable and helps reduce labour cost, and provides every day users with a consistent ride. However, there are discussions revolving around an extension for additional lines across the city. It is still being discussed, whether it is, a good solution for car pollution and if it will benefit the city as a whole.

Lesson learned

It was disheartening to learn that during the lockdown and emphasize the digital divide amongst the cities in Vancouver and globally. These children faced a disruption and their learning which ultimately affected their online learning experience, and then to learning gaps that are still being corrected or not being corrected till this day , it is safe to assume that many students who are now in high school or college are suffering the effects of inadequate educational resources during this time. The lack of readiness from both students and educators prove that there had to be better planning for this execution to be successful. Although no one could have prepared for the prolong lockdown during the pandemic, teachers have learned that many students may not have resources at home to improve their learning. A solution would be make more looting tools, assessable by educating the students and staff on the resources that are available. Drawing from my personal experience from tutoring , these students were not aware of the educational tools that were available for free online. Work guidance, we can have a generation that display a higher level of digital literacy and English competencies. Learning about how the transit system is relied upon has increased my awareness for improvements that should be made. If there are no improvements or advancements made to the systems, it is not sustainable to be increasing the transit fares. Taking public transit is supposed to be affordable and accessible. Therefore, the government needs to realize that in order to stay affordable, the average person should also share that same sentiment. There is a growing concern that are a lot of low income, new immigrants, and seniors that will face troubles when accessing technology. Whether it is using the internet or applications to the phone, the inadequate skills to do so will hinder their ability to access healthcare resources, and important services. As a community, we need to improve on what the word accessibility means, as there are many groups of people who do not get to use these technological advancements as a benefit.

References

smythe, suzanne, pelan, D. and BRESHEARS, sherry (eds.) (2018) View of the linkvan project: Participatory Technology Design in Vancouver. Available at: https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/langandlit/index.php/langandlit/article/view/29406/21443 (Accessed: 28 June 2024).

Whitley, J. et al. (2021) The impact of covid-19 on the learning and achievement of vulnerable Canadian children and Youth, FACETS. Available at: https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10.1139/facets-2021-0096 (Accessed: 29 June 2024).

Vancouver School District: Completion Rates (no date) B.C. Education System Performance - Vancouver School District: Completion Rates. Available at: https://studentsuccess.gov.bc.ca/school-district/039/report/completion-rates (Accessed: 29 June 2024).

New research reveals impact of COVID-19 pandemic on child and Youth Mental Health (2021) SickKids. Available at: https://www.sickkids.ca/en/news/archive/2021/impact-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-child-youth-mental-health/ (Accessed: 29 June 2024).

TransLink releases corporate cost-cutting plan to address funding gap (2024) Home. Available at: https://www.translink.ca/news/2024/june/translink%20releases%20cost-cutting%20plan%20to%20address%20funding%20gap (Accessed: 29 June 2024).

VSB School Food Programs (2023) vsb. Available at: https://www.vsb.bc.ca/_ci/p/68571 (Accessed: 29 June 2024). Overcoming digital divides: Low-income communities (2021) SFU Public Square - Simon Fraser University. Available at: https://www.sfu.ca/publicsquare/events/2021/low-income-communities.html (Accessed: 29 June 2024).

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