A second digital divide among university students

The relationship that individuals have with the Internet yields a series of social and economic effects on their lives. This is particularly so for university students, since their knowledge and habits of Internet use may impact on their chances of getting the kind of skilled jobs for which they are studying. Underpinned by the theory of the second digital divide, this research aims to examine the variables affecting skill levels in relation to Internet use and web 2.0 use among university students. To that end, a database containing data on 14,727 students physically attending public Catalan universities was employed. The results clearly show that there is indeed a relationship between experience of Internet use, type of formal learning undertaken and sociodemographic characteristics on the one hand, and variations in Internet uses and skills on the other. Through the relationship that students have with the Internet, the results are useful for establishing which variables are impacting on their future stratification in the job market in particular and in society in general.