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Title:
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROMOTING ICTS UPTAKE AMONG THE REFUGEE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN NEW ZEALAND |
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Author(s):
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Eltahir F. Kabbar , Barbara J. Crump Massey |
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ISBN:
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ISSN: 1645-7641 |
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Editors:
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Pedro Isaías |
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Year:
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2007 |
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Edition:
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V V,2 |
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Keywords:
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Social inclusion, ICT adoption, digital divide, immigrants, New Zealand, settlement |
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Type:
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Journal Paper |
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First Page:
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72 |
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Last Page:
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85 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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The settlement and social integration process for new immigrants varies amongst countries and in New
Zealand a variety of resettlement strategies are available to newly-arrived refugees to ease their fit into
the wider society. Part of that fit and integration is finding suitable employment and being able to access
services that are increasingly available via information and communications technologies (ICTs). For
marginalized groups such as refugee immigrants who arrive from countries where use of ICTs is not
ubiquitous adjusting to their new society is an even bigger challenge. Such groups have been identified
as being on the wrong side of the digital divide and thereby excluded from a digital society. Framed by
Rogers Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Warschauers social inclusion theory, this paper presents
recommendations for promoting the adoption of ICTs among members of the immigrant refugee
community. The recommendations are based on the findings of a qualitative study involving recentlyarrived
refugees to New Zealands capital city, Wellington. Factors influencing the adoption (or
otherwise), and usage of ICTs by participants were identified. The findings revealed that the majority of
the participants lacked computing experience and young, male participants with a relatively higher
educational background were more likely to be adopters. In contrast, older female participants with little
or no education were less likely to participate in ICTs. The most common factor in adoption of ICTs for
the immigrants who were new to computing was via friends and family. |
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