Digital Technologies, Social Disparities and Educational Inequalities: The Case of Electronic Diaries in Bulgarian Secondary Schools
Digital Technologies, Social Disparities and Educational Inequalities: The Case of Electronic Diaries in Bulgarian Secondary Schools

Summary/Abstract: The paper focuses on inequalities in access to digital technologies and their influence on education (electronic diaries in particular) across secondary schools in Bulgaria. It tries to answer the following research question: does the impact of digital technologies on access to the educational process depend on the existence of social inequalities and horizontal differences between and within schools? The theoretical framework is based on Bruno Latour’s Actor-network theory, Bourdieu’s capital theory, as well the concept of technical capital. The research methodology includes case studies of three different types of schools with qualitative methods of data collection: interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders such as principals, students, teachers, and parents. According to the different social actors in the educational process, the usage of electronic diaries makes it significantly easier to access, store and distribute information, but not for all groups of children and their parents. The analysis of three different types of schools reveals the presence of significant differentiation and inequalities in the Bulgarian education system. The results show that the theories of Bourdieu and Latour are suitable for analysis of the Bulgarian education system. Based on the obtained results it is concluded that a comprehensive reform in the education system requires not only educational innovations but also adequate and long-term changes in all fields of society.

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