Use of information and communication technologies by Mayan university students in a context of digital divide in Mexico

Abstract

The objective of the article is to analyze the availability and use of information and communication technologies and the digital skills of students of the Intercultural Maya University of Quintana Roo. The methodology integrated focus groups, in-depth interviews, participant observation and a questionnaire. According to the results, most students use cell phones and internet for educational and leisure purposes; they handle data processors and basic connectivity tools. The limitation of the study is that it was based only on the results of the questionnaire. The findings show that young people use computers, internet, cell phones and social networks to meet school and social needs, in accordance with their economic conditions and available infrastructure. In addition, they have previous digital skills, historically marked by marginalization and educational and technological backwardness, but they appropriate technologies to participate in the digital era, increasingly present in rural and indigenous communities in Mexico.