Proposal seeks to retain the existing ‘Question 59: Does any member of this household access the internet from this dwelling?’ and expand this to understand the following for households that have children at school:
broadband uptake (understanding the digital divide and sources of disadvantage).
Choose your area of interest
Please select one item
(Required)
Population
Sex and gender
Households and families
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Income and work
Unpaid work and care
Education and training
Disability and carers
Housing
Location
Transport
Cultural diversity
Religion
Ticked
Other topic
If Other topic please specify
internet access at dwelling
Assessment Criteria 1
1.
This topic is of current national importance.
National Importance
Yes, education is a strategic agenda for the nation. The March 2018 Gonski report Through Growth to Achievement - Report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence outlines the transition to tailored individual leaning. Key enablers for this agenda are digital based environments, and households that are unable to access broadband services can put their children at disadvantage. Specific understanding is important to States and Territories with a larger Rural and Remote footprint. The topic formed into an Australian Parliament Current Issues Brief (1 2001-02) and has recently re-emerged with disadvantage issues raised for NBN access.
Assessment Criteria 2
2.
There is a need for data from a Census of the whole population.
For whole population
No. This topic maybe of some interest for other departments, but we are focused on households with school based students.
Assessment Criteria 3
3.
The topic can be accurately collected in a form which the household completes themselves.
Easy to answer
Yes.
Assessment Criteria 4
4.
The topic would be acceptable to Census respondents.
Acceptable
Yes.
Assessment Criteria 5
5.
The topic can be collected efficiently.
Collected efficiently
Yes, but some of the underlying data can be validated against NBN and Internet Service Provider information.
Assessment Criteria 6
6.
There is likely to be a continuing need for data on this topic in the following Census.
Continuing need
Yes, this is an ongoing agenda to move to the digital learning space, and any sources of digital divide will be an issue that needs to be addressed. The recent change to NAPLAN Online generated community discomfort and Industrial Action based on anxiety associated with change. All sources of digital divide will surface as the digital changes occur, and recent media reporting of NBN coverage is expected keep the issue topical.
The data is also required for the planning of the digital learning agenda, and to provide for support and change services.
Assessment Criteria 7
7.
There are no other alternative data sources or solutions that could meet the topic need.