Internet Adoption Increases Youth and Adult Literacy, Primary and Secondary School Enrolment, and Decreases Poverty in 193 nations Measured.

Transcription

1 Internet Adoption Increases Youth and Adult Literacy, Primary and Secondary School Enrolment, and Decreases Poverty in 193 nations Measured. Abstract Alan Bayham BA, MS CHS, ASU, and UofP Phoenix, Arizona US Internet communication technologies have rapidly empowered people in both developed and developing nations throughout the world. There are presently 4.2 billion people who do not have access to the Internet and the hardware needed to gain access to it throughout the world. The adoption of the Internet in the developing world has been rapid, and Internet access has become more cost-effective and realistic for individuals in developing countries through wireless technologies and smartphones. The impact and empowerment of the Internet have not been felt by the majority of the world's population, but it is clear that it is being quickly adopted and positively affecting the lives of billions of people throughout the world and will continue to do so well into the future. The hypothesis of this study was that Internet adoption and use positively impacts youth and adult literacy rates for both sexes, primary and secondary enrolment rates for both sexes, and helps to decrease poverty. The hypothesis was found to be true, and it is clear that Internet use and adoption has positively impacted developed and developing nations throughout the world. This impact will continue well into the future as the most poverty-stricken individuals gain access to affordable and reliable ICTs, which will, directly and indirectly, offer them increased access to educational opportunities, employment, jobs, business opportunities, government services, and much more. Keywords: Internet, education, smartphone, poverty, literacy, gender, equality Information Literacy, Poverty, and the Internet Literacy is the capacity to communicate using written or electronic symbols to represent spoken language (Literacy, 2016). It has historically contrasted oral traditions used for communication, which has been primarily used throughout human history. The applications of both written and oral modes of communication are a reality in daily life for most individuals and cultures throughout the world, and they coexist as forms of communication for human interaction. A lack of literacy can lead to decreased opportunities and a cycle of poverty. Poverty is a condition in which an individual lacks an acceptable amount of money and possessions within a society, and it results in a condition in which an individual cannot provide for his or her basic needs (Poverty, 2016). In extreme instances, poverty can lead to death from malnutrition and starvation, and its existence throughout history has often encompassed entire populations. Attributes that are often associated with the cycle of poverty are poor health, lack of education, the inability or lack of will to work, and riotous behavior. Poverty has existed throughout human history, but the economic results from industrialization 11

2 increased the standard of living in most developed nations have resulted in fewer people being impoverished because national outputs rose to meet people's demands and needs. In industrialized societies, cycles of poverty have been widespread throughout populations as a result of business cycles that have resulted in mass unemployment. Although cycles of poverty are limited in their duration, it results in individuals having the inability to provide for their basic needs, and it often results in food shortages and inflation because of food scarcity. Presently, in industrialized nations, demographic groups have been vulnerable to long-term poverty, and it has resulted in districts within cities that are considered to be ghettos. These districts have typically been abandoned by industries that have outsourced manufacturing or completely bypassed them in certain instances because they are considered to be unprofitable by business owners. Cycles of poverty result in higher mortality rates, poor health, and lower educational levels, and it results in segments of society being underemployed, unskilled, and being paid lower wages. Government efforts to defeat cycles of poverty focus on increasing educational opportunities, attracting new industries, promoting the growth of small businesses within communities, and introducing new agricultural methods. The Internet has revolutionized communication by allowing computer networks to connect throughout the world, and it has permitted information access to billions of people throughout the world, which has resulted in helping to educate and ameliorate illiteracy and poverty. The Internet is a system of computer networks that emerged publicly for worldwide use in the 1990s (Internet, 2016). At the beginning of the twenty-first century, there were an estimated 360 million Internet users worldwide, but it is presently estimated that nearly half of the world's population has access to the Internet, which is attributed to advances in wireless communication. The Internet is powerful and provides users the capability to access information that previously was non-existent to them or only available in libraries. The Internet has changed the manner in which people communicate, educate, entertain, and conduct business. It is believed by most analysts that the Internet will continue to transform societies throughout the world, and it will continually allow individuals to communicate from around the world with increased speed and allow access to information to masses of people that formerly would not have received it. The Internet has had a large impact on education and the manner in which it is delivered, and it has resulted in most students viewing libraries as antiquated. There are more students with computer access and computers in their classrooms around the world than ever before, but there is insufficient evidence that computers enhance basic educational skills. The Internet has made information more widely available for students and society, and it has helped to stop plagiarism and give students access to more contemporary research at faster rates. Future directions of the Internet and technology surrounding its deployment are not clear, but there are some trends that we have seen that are likely to continue. Internet users worldwide will continually see increased access to wireless Internet service, which will continue to contribute to the development of technologies surrounding devices that are portable, wearable, and use voice recognition for input. The Internet will also continue to become quicker, and it will be supported by increasingly advanced software, hardware, and applications that allow users to have access multiple streams of high-bandwidth transmission on a single device simultaneously. It is also estimated that devices in our homes, offices, and cars will increasingly gain access to the Internet so that they can be monitored and controlled remotely. The information explosion that has resulted from increased access to the Internet by billions throughout the world will continue into the future, and data storage will continue its gradual move from individuals' desktop computers to online storage sites. Literacy Rates There are more than 750 million illiterate adults living in our world today, and the majority of these individuals are women who still lack basic reading and writing skills in their native languages (UNESCO, 12

3 2015). There has been a sharp reduction in the number of illiterate individuals over the last five years as a result of programs that are publicly funded in conjunction with the assistance of Western non-profit organizations, which have helped millions of individuals become literate in developing nations, such as: India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, and many more nations. Despite the work of governments and private organizations to assist illiterate individuals in developing nations, UNESCO has reported that illiteracy levels are rising in some countries throughout the world, specifically in West Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. West Asia and Southeast Asia have more than 50% of the world's illiterate adults, Sub-Saharan Africa makes up 25% of the world's illiterate adults, East Asia makes up 12% of the world's illiterate adults, the Arab nations makeup 7% of the world's illiterate adults, and 4% of the world's illiterate adults live in Latin American and the Caribbean States (UNESCO, 2015). The rest of the regions throughout the world combined are estimated to makeup less than 1% of the illiterate adults in the world. The lowest national literacy rates have been observed in Sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia, and Southeast Asia, and "adult literacy rates are below 50% in the following 14 countries: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, The Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and South Sudan" (UNESCO, 2015, p. 2). Progress has been made in these nations in relation to youth literacy rates, and populations of individuals from 15 to 24 years of age are typically higher that adult literacy rates, which has been attributed to increased access to education for young people. In Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, national and regional averages regarding literacy rates are not available because these nations and regions do not collect traditional literacy statistics because they have shifted to carrying out more detailed assessments for literacy and educational skills, which makes the data that they produced statistically incomparable to the rest of the world. Women have accounted for 75% of the illiterate adults in the world, and the gap in sexes is estimated to be just as high for youth literacy statistics as well (UNESCO, 2015). Three main regions throughout the world, the Arab nations, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, have a significant lack of gender parity in relation to literacy, and women in these regions are 24% more likely to be illiterate than males in the same age group. Globally, adult women are 9% more likely to be illiterate than men, and women between the ages of 15 and 24 are 4% more likely to be illiterate than men. Poverty Facts and Trends There has been remarkable progress achieved by the global community since the end of World War II in attempting to eradicate poverty (United Nations, 2009). Despite efforts to lift people out of poverty, there are presently 1.4 billion people today throughout the world living at or below the poverty line of $1.25 US per day. Poverty results in many social problems, but it is the leading cause of hunger and undernourishment in the world. The number of hungry and undernourished people worldwide is estimated to be 963 million or 14.6% of the world's population. The majority of impoverished people live in developing nations, and poverty leading to hunger and undernourishment results in the deaths of 25,000 children daily. Most of these children die quietly in remote villages far from the media's attention, and they essentially die an invisible death. Almost 30% of children in developing nations are estimated to be underweight and have stunted growth, and the United Nations Children's Fund estimates that 72 million of elementary school age children in developing countries are not in school. Of these children, more than 50% are female, and it considered to be a byproduct of a systemic problem resulting from lack of infrastructure, water and food access, healthcare access, and much more. Over 1 billion 13

4 individuals living in developing countries do not have proper access to water, and over 2.5 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to basic sanitary conditions. The world's population is estimated to surpass 9 billion by 2050, and it is projected that the world's poor in developing nations will account for the majority of population growth throughout in the next thirty years because they presently makeup 2.3 billion individuals in the current world population and typically have more offspring than people living in developed countries (United Nations, 2009). The population of the developing countries is presently at nearly 6 billion individuals, and it is expected to be at nearly 8 billion individuals by The population of developed regions is estimated to increase by 500 million individuals from 1.23 billion to 1.28 billion. Poor families throughout the world typically have more children because children are seen as an opportunity to contribute to a family's household income and ensure economic security for parents as they age. The rapid increase of the populations in developing countries accentuates the importance of having policies in place that promote sustainable economic growth and structural transformation. Education has statistically shown to play a key role in poverty reduction because it is an investment in human resources that promotes economic growth (United Nations, 2009). Education has a positive impact on systemic problems that lead to the cycle of poverty, which results in poverty reduction because of its growthpromoting effects. This has not been found to be true in every region, specifically Arab nations that are considered developing countries because the correlation between education and growth has been found to be weak as a result of multiple factors. A good example would be Egypt in which 42% of the population has received secondary or higher education, but these individuals comprise 80% of the unemployed in the nation. This is believed to be a result of a lack of governmental policies to ensure the creation of employment opportunities to utilize the productivity potential resulting from education within their society. In general, throughout the world, the rate of return for individuals and society on investment in education and educational programs is high, and the benefits of education directly correlate with entry to higher income occupations. The benefit of education has been found to be even higher in lower-income developing nations throughout the world, especially for countries with poor educational standards for women. Education in rural areas in developing nations has enabled farmers to improve their practices and technology used, increased access to schooling that can lead to higher paying employment, and improved the agricultural productivity and incomes of villages. Education in developing nations also leads to improved health standards and practices, and it has been associated with lower levels of mortality and improved nutrition. Technology, the Internet, and Education Technology use among participants in research in the promotion literacy and training has shown positive educational outcomes and benefits (Thomas, 2009). Distance learning programs that use computer-based learning to promote literacy and employment of low-income and welfare recipient students have shown to increase literacy rates and employment opportunities for individuals in need. Individuals from low-income backgrounds who are welfare recipients face obstacles in joining literacy and training programs sponsored by both the public and private sectors because of fluctuating work schedules, family obligations, health issues, transportation barriers, and fear of traveling within their neighborhoods. Technology and the Internet have allowed both public and private literacy programs to deliver education programs away from traditional classroom settings and allow formal instruction through prescribed software that can be delivered and assisted by Internet communication to individuals at any time to deal with fluctuating life experiences that they may face. The benefits of distance learning over the Internet is the high rate of informal learning that takes place, 14

5 which is essentially any activity that embodies the pursuit of increased understanding, knowledge, or skill development. Informal learning occurs when individuals use the Internet for research, ing, or using math skills while shopping online. The main drawback of using distance education is that its use may not be realistic or possible in certain environments because it requires a level of infrastructure that allows individuals to gain access to wireless devices, tablets, laptops, or personal computers that have a reliable Internet connection. If the aforementioned are available to an individual, research shows that having computers with Internet access at home can positively affect autonomous learning, interest in education, and assists in overcoming knowledge gaps related to technology use. In general, the Internet empowers people in conjunction with facilitating both self-paced and informal learning programs, which can lead to increased literacy in both formal and informal environments. Learning models that facilitate distance education, regardless of the level, must meet students' motivation levels (Wang, 2009). Research has shown that adult learners are typically more intrinsically motivated than younger learners, so distance education models delivered through the Internet must harness motivation, whether it be intrinsic or extrinsic, to capitalize on students' willingness to improve themselves and engage in the learning process. All formal education includes both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and, when learning is problem-focused or performance-centered, learning, in and of itself, can be rewarding for all learners. Distance education programs must connect with their students by increasing the autonomy of the content delivered to assist those in their programs to come to the realization that learning is a valuable process and intrinsically rewarding because it can improve their futures. Teaching at all levels in today's world requires educators to adopt adaptive philosophies that are open to new technological innovations that can assist learning programs, whether they are distance education programs or traditional classroom settings, to facilitate learning environments that autonomously challenge students to improve their educational level and to engage in the educational process to improve themselves. Distance education programs can be assisted through informal learning in which students have to work autonomously or on teams to research information and communicate using the Internet. Traditional classroom settings can incorporate the use of technology through the use of presentations, video clips, or audio segments, and they can be supplemented with the use of online discussion forums to target differing learning styles in blended course designs. The use of the Internet for educational purpose is pervasive, growing, and engaging, and the application of the use of technology in both distance education settings and traditional classroom settings can increase literacy, target different learning styles effectively, and challenge students to improve themselves through both autonomous and group activities in a manner that is unprecedented in human history at almost all educational levels. For almost every subject area, with the exception of early childhood education and scientific experiments done in laboratories, distance learning over the Internet can replace traditional teaching environments (Wang, 2009). Technology can also assist those teaching in traditional educational environment to engage learners in a more modern manner and target a wider array of learning styles. Distance education, for nearly all levels of learning, can increase individuals intrinsic motivation to improve themselves through literacy in both guided and autonomous manners, and it offers learners flexibility when delivered in asynchronous learning environments, which can assist those who are motivated to learn at their own pace or environments with less reliable Internet connections. The Internet, in conjunction with the technology that allows individuals to connect to it, provides opportunities for formal and informal learning, and it gives individuals increased opportunities to practice specific skills that have been learned and access to a wider range of information than has been available to students previously in the history of education. 15

6 Purpose, Rationale, and Hypothesis The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of Internet adoption on the youth literacy rates for both sexes, the adult literacy rates for both sexes, the primary school enrolment rates for both sexes, the secondary school enrolment rates for both sexes, and poverty rates of 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). The rationale of this study was the impact, empowerment, and adoption of the Internet, specifically wireless Internet use through smartphones, has been substantial in developing countries. Presently, 4.2 billion individuals in the world do not have Internet access, but its adoption is becoming more widespread. There are more smartphone owners and users in the developing world than developed world presently, so the adoption of Internet communication technologies is rapidly underway worldwide. Therefore, its impact is measurable, and, as more widespread adoption of the Internet happens throughout the poorest sectors of society in developing nations, the effects will be empowerment of individuals, which have the potential to affect positively youth and adult literacy rates for both sexes, primary and secondary enrolment rates for both sexes, and to reduce poverty throughout the world. The hypothesis of this study is the increased adoption of Internet communication technologies in 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State has had a positive effect, both directly and indirectly, on youth literacy rates for both sexes, the adult literacy rates for both sexes, the primary school enrolment rates for both sexes, the secondary school enrolment rates for both sexes, and helped to decrease poverty rates. Methods The first through the fourth measurements analyzed the annual youth literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). The fifth through the eighth measurements analyzed the annual adult literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals who were fifteen years or older between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State. The ninth through the twelfth measurements analyzed the annual primary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State. The thirteenth through the sixteenth measurements analyzed the annual secondary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State. The seventeenth through the twentieth measurements analyzed the annual ratio of people at the national poverty line average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State. The twenty-first through the twenty-fourth measurements analyzed the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State. The twenty-fifth through the thirty-second measurements analyzed the annual youth literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period for the states that disclosed national annual youth literacy rate data for both sexes in a minimum of five out of the six 16

7 years reported from 2007 to 2012 of the 193 nations measured. The thirty-third through the fortieth measurements analyzed the annual adult literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals who were fifteen years or older and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period for the states that disclosed national annual adult literacy rate data for individuals fifteen years of age or older for both sexes in a minimum of five out of the six years reported from 2007 to 2012 of the 193 nations measured. The forty-first through the forty-eighth measurements analyzed the annual primary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1997 and 2005 time period and the 2006 to 2014 time period for the states that disclosed national annual primary school enrolment data for every year from 1997 to 2014 out of the 193 nations analyzed. The forty-ninth through the fifty-sixth measurements calculated the annual secondary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2005 and 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2014 time period for the states that disclosed national annual secondary school enrolment data for every year from 2005 to 2014 out of the 193 nations analyzed. The fifty-seventh through the sixty-fourth measurements calculated the annual ratio of people at the national poverty line average, percentage of change, and shift and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2003 to 2008 time period and the 2009 to 2014 time period for the states that reported annual ratio of people at the national poverty line data in eight out of the ten years reported from 2003 to 2014 out of the 193 nations analyzed. Results The first through the fourth measurements analyzed the annual youth literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Youth Literacy Shift Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan The Bahamas Bahrain

8 Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cabo Verde The Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep Congo, Rep Costa Rica Cote d'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador

9 Egypt, Arab Rep El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Rep Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem. People s Rep

10 Korea, Rep Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia, FYR Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Fed. Sts Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger

11 Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland E Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname

12 Swaziland Sweden Switzerland The Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, RB Vietnam Yemen, Rep Zambia Zimbabwe (The World Bank Group, 2016) The fifth through the eighth measurements analyzed the annual adult literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals who were fifteen years or older between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). 22

13 Country Name Average Average % of Change Adult Literacy Shift Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan The Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cabo Verde The Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia

14 Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep Congo, Rep Costa Rica Cote d'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt, Arab Rep El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland

15 India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Rep Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem. People s Rep Korea, Rep Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia, FYR Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico

16 Micronesia, Fed. Sts Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone

17 Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland The Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, RB

18 Vietnam Yemen, Rep Zambia Zimbabwe (The World Bank Group, 2016) The ninth through the twelfth measurements analyzed the annual primary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Primary Enrolment Shift Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan The Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil

19 Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cabo Verde The Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep Congo, Rep Costa Rica Cote d'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt, Arab Rep El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia, The

20 Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Rep Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem. People s Rep Korea, Rep Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein

21 Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia, FYR Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Fed. Sts Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland

22 Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland The Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago

23 Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, RB Vietnam Yemen, Rep Zambia Zimbabwe (The World Bank Group, 2016) The thirteenth through the sixteenth measurements analyzed the annual secondary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Secondary Enrolment Shift Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan The Bahamas

24 Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cabo Verde The Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep Congo, Rep Costa Rica Cote d'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic

25 Ecuador Egypt, Arab Rep El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Rep Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati

26 Korea, Dem. People s Rep Korea, Rep Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia, FYR Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Fed. Sts Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua

27 Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan

28 Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland The Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, RB Vietnam Yemen, Rep Zambia Zimbabwe (The World Bank Group, 2016) The seventeenth through the twentieth measurements analyzed the annual ratio of people at the national poverty line average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). 38

29 Country Name Average Average % of Change Poverty Shift Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan The Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cabo Verde The Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia

30 Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep Congo, Rep Costa Rica Cote d'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt, Arab Rep El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia, The Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland

31 India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Rep Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem. People s Rep Korea, Rep Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia, FYR Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico

32 Micronesia, Fed. Sts Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone

33 Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland The Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, RB

34 Vietnam Yemen, Rep Zambia Zimbabwe (The World Bank Group, 2016) The twenty-first through the twenty-fourth measurements analyzed the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Internet Use Shift Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan The Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam

35 Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cabo Verde The Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo, Dem. Rep Congo, Rep Costa Rica Cote d'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt, Arab Rep El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia, The Georgia

36 Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Rep Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem. People s Rep Korea, Rep Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic Lao PDR Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania

37 Luxembourg Macedonia, FYR Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia, Fed. Sts Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal

38 Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland The Syrian Arab Republic Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia

39 Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, RB Vietnam Yemen, Rep Zambia Zimbabwe (The World Bank Group, 2016) The twenty-fifth through the thirty-second measurements analyzed the annual youth literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twentyfour and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period for the states that disclosed national annual youth literacy rate data for both sexes in a minimum of five out of the six years reported from 2007 to 2012 of the 193 nations measured (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Literacy Shift Brazil Ecuador El Salvador Mexico Pakistan Spain Turkey Uruguay (The World Bank Group, 2016) 49

40 Country Name Average Average % of Change Internet Use Shift Brazil Ecuador El Salvador Mexico Pakistan Spain Turkey Uruguay (The World Bank Group, 2016) The thirty-third through the fortieth measurements analyzed the annual adult literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals who were fifteen years or older and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period for the states that disclosed national annual adult literacy rate data for individuals fifteen years of age or older for both sexes in a minimum of five out of the six years reported from 2007 to 2012 of the 193 nations measured (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Literacy Shift Azerbaijan Bolivia Brazil Colombia Ecuador El Salvador Mexico Pakistan Qatar Spain Turkey Uruguay (The World Bank Group, 2016) Country Name Average Average % of Change Internet Use Shift Azerbaijan Bolivia

41 Brazil Colombia Ecuador El Salvador Mexico Pakistan Qatar Spain Turkey Uruguay (The World Bank Group, 2016) The forty-first through the forty-eighth measurements analyzed the annual primary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1997 and 2005 time period and the 2006 to 2014 time period for the states that disclosed national annual primary school enrolment data for every year from 1997 to 2014 out of the 193 nations analyzed (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Primary School Shift Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cuba Guinea Iran, Islamic Rep Lao PDR Maldives Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mongolia Morocco Niger

42 Peru Ukraine (The World Bank Group, 2016) Country Name Average Average % of Change Internet Use Shift Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cuba Guinea Iran, Islamic Rep Lao PDR Maldives Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mongolia Morocco Niger Peru Ukraine (The World Bank Group, 2016) The forty-ninth through the fifty-sixth measurements calculated the annual secondary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2005 and 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2014 time period for the states that disclosed national annual secondary school enrolment data for every year from 2005 to 2014 out of the 193 nations analyzed (Nations Online, 2016). 52

43 Country Name Average Average % of Change Secondary Enrolment Shift Afghanistan Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Bhutan Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Cabo Verde Colombia Cuba Cyprus Iran, Islamic Rep Lesotho Malawi Mauritius Moldova Mozambique Nepal Niger Pakistan Peru Qatar Serbia St. Lucia Ukraine Venezuela, RB (The World Bank Group, 2016) Country Name Average Average % of Change Internet Use Shift Afghanistan Albania Andorra Armenia

44 Austria Bhutan Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Cabo Verde Colombia Cuba Cyprus Iran, Islamic Rep Lesotho Malawi Mauritius Moldova Mozambique Nepal Niger Pakistan Peru Qatar Serbia St. Lucia Ukraine Venezuela, RB (The World Bank Group, 2016) The fifty-seventh through the sixty-fourth measurements calculated the annual ratio of people at the national poverty line average, percentage of change, and shift and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2003 to 2008 time period and the 2009 to 2014 time period for the states that reported annual ratio of people at the national poverty line data in eight out of the ten years reported from 2003 to 2014 out of the 193 nations analyzed (Nations Online, 2016). Country Name Average Average % of Change Poverty Shift Belarus Bolivia Brazil Colombia Czech Republic

45 Dominican Republic Ecuador Honduras Indonesia Kazakhstan Latvia Lithuania Moldova Paraguay Peru Poland Russian Federation Slovak Republic Slovenia Thailand Turkey Venezuela, RB (The World Bank Group, 2016) Country Name Average Average % of Change Internet Use Shift Belarus Bolivia Brazil Colombia Czech Republic Dominican Republic Ecuador Honduras Indonesia Kazakhstan Latvia Lithuania Moldova Paraguay Peru Poland Russian Federation Slovak Republic

46 Slovenia Thailand Turkey Venezuela, RB Discussion (The World Bank Group, 2016) The first through the fourth measurements analyzed the annual youth literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Despite sporadic reporting by the 193 nations analyzed in this study between the 1993 and 2014 time period, it can be concluded that youth literacy rates for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four years of age for both sexes throughout the world rose in a comparison of the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period by nearly 24%. Reporting by the nations in the second time period measured, from 2004 to 2014, was higher, but the majority of nations did not report annual national youth literacy rates for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four years of age for both sexes with regularity. Literacy has been viewed throughout history from both broad and narrow views, which are contrasting perspectives (Manzoor, 2011). The broad vision of literacy interprets it as "a range of skills, competencies and awareness about self and the world that enables individuals and communities to exercise choices" to fulfill their lives and meet goals set for themselves (Manzoor, 2011, p. 183). A more narrow approach to defining literacy views it simply as the skills needed to understand written symbols that represent spoken language. Literacy, however, is more than just being able to read the written word because it is an active process in which people can cognitively engage in the activity of reading but apply both critical thinking and reflection to empower themselves and create social 56

47 awareness. Throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the view of literacy as a basic human right has launched campaigns throughout the developing world by national and Western non-profit organizations in attempt to increase literacy rates. These campaigns have had positive outcomes and contributed to expanding access to literacy programs and social improvements in these nations, but they are not without problems. There is little standardization in literacy campaigns throughout the world, and the data regarding literacy rate collected nationally is considered by most analysts to be subjective. In most states throughout the world, literacy data is collected by answering a single "yes" or "no" question regarding one's ability to read and write. Reports regarding national literacy rates are considered to be subjective because of the manner in which they are measured, which is generally measured through self-reporting assessments and based on few questions. They can also be biased because individuals relate their own positions in relation to literacy, and answers given may be reflective of one's perceived social position and the distribution of educational opportunities in society that are available to him or her. The lack of standardization in testing literacy worldwide and programs to overcome illiteracy within nations can presently be considered to be problematic. The data reported regarding literacy rates throughout the world is clearly biased and collected in a non-standardized manner, but there is not better data available regarding worldwide literacy rates at this time. Increased standardization needs to be brought to literacy campaigns and measurements to improve literacy programs and data collection throughout the world. The fifth through the eighth measurements analyzed the annual adult literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals who were fifteen years or older between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Despite sporadic reporting by the 193 nations analyzed in this study between the 1993 and 2014 time period, it can be concluded that annual adult literacy rates for individuals fifteen years of age or older for both sexes throughout the world rose in a comparison between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period by more than 24%. Reporting by the nations in the second time period measured, from 2004 to 2014, was higher, but the majority of nations did not report annual adult literacy rates for individuals fifteen years of age or older for both sexes with regularity. Despite the lack of standardization of national and Western nongovernmental organizations in creating and facilitating programs effective at the national level, there has been some progress made in recent decades in approaches to eliminating literacy and broadening views in regards to 57

48 its importance for individuals and societies throughout the world. Literacy should be viewed as a necessary tool for communication and learning, and adult literacy programs should be focused on helping individuals to gain the skills needed to improve themselves and help to develop an awareness of the need of lifelong learning (UNESCO, 2005). Literacy programs must target the millions of people throughout the world without access to schooling, and programs must make a commitment to empower individuals to connect with literacy and recognize its importance for societies, engaging in political progresses, improving social statuses, increasing economic opportunities, and helping gain access to global influence. Literacy is only liberating and beneficial to individuals and societies when it is taught and used correctly. It can be used in a diabolical manner to promote ideologies, incorrect propaganda, or to dominate other citizens. Therefore, literacy programs should be used to socialize learners to beneficial discourse and to create new forms of socialization and creative diversity. Effective literacy programs should help to improve individuals' values, self-identities, local languages and knowledge, and equity between the sexes. The quality of literacy programs can be enhanced through improved training, focus on relevant learning processes, and the use of language in conjunction with modern learning materials. Literacy programs throughout the world should standardize their delivery, feedback, monitoring, and evaluation systems to get objective data and feedback regarding their success rates. Literacy should be viewed through a multidimensional approach, which encompasses and compels individuals and partners at the local level to influence the context, purpose, and ideologies being delivered in programs to ensure they are advantageous for who participate. The ninth through the twelfth measurements analyzed the annual primary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Despite sporadic reporting by the 193 nations analyzed in this study between the 1993 and 2014 time period, it can be concluded that the annual primary school enrolment rate for both sexes throughout the world rose modestly between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period by more than 11%. 58

49 Reporting by the nations in the second time period measured, from 2004 to 2014, was higher, but the majority of nations did not report annual primary school enrolment rates for both sexes with regularity. The reporting, however, for this measurement was higher in both the 1993 to 2003 time period and 2004 to 2014 time period than other areas analyzed in this study. Research has shown that academic achievement in the primary school years is strongly associated with school enrolment rates, and students typically develop a pattern of decline that correlates with absentee rates from school (The University of Western Australia, 2013). Enrolment and attendance in primary school contributes to a child's learning and academic outcomes, which are enhanced by enrolment in and increased attendance to primary school. Absences from school have been correlated with a lack of achievement in mathematics, reading, and writing, which carries over into subsequent academic years. Parents must be educated and informed of this as well as societies to create an understanding that primary school shapes adult educational habits that impact lifelong learning. Students' socioeconomic statuses can impact learning, and research has shown that students that come from more disadvantaged backgrounds are more adversely affected by absenteeism. This pattern is particularly true in primary school years, and it suggests that children from more privileged backgrounds have more effective resources in their homes to assist them in meeting learning objectives in traditional classrooms. There is a clear relationship between school enrolment in conjunction with regular attendance and performance in primary schooling. Students that have fewer resources at home and who are living in remote areas in worse socioeconomic conditions perform worse at school. Therefore, governments and Western non-governmental organizations must emphasize attendance to school, educate parents regarding the importance of literacy, and make resources available to encourage literacy and learning, especially in rural areas with low socioeconomic statuses. The thirteenth through the sixteenth measurements analyzed the annual secondary school enrolment rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). 59

50 Despite sporadic reporting by the 193 nations analyzed in this study between the 1993 and 2014 time period, it can be concluded that the annual secondary school enrolment rate for both sexes throughout the world rose substantially in a comparison between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period by more than 25%. Reporting by the nations in the second time period measured, from 2004 to 2014, was higher, but the majority of nations did not report annual primary school enrolment rates for both sexes with regularity. The reporting, however, for this measurement was higher in both the 1993 to 2003 time period and 2004 to 2014 time period than other areas analyzed in this study. Secondary attendance rose a great deal in the last 50 years, and secondary enrolment has increased in nearly every region in the world with the exception of some nations in Sub-Saharan Africa (FHI, 2009). In nations that have low secondary enrolment rates, there is still a disparity between the sexes in attendance, and males have a much higher attendance rate in secondary education schools systems in comparison to females in nations in which secondary school attendance is low overall. In nations that have high secondary attendance rates, males are less likely to attend secondary schools in comparison to females. This trend is seen in most nations studied throughout the world, and it is a large social concern because males appear to be turning to crime and violence instead of taking advantage of educational opportunities in their communities. In nations that have made progress with increasing female attendance rates in secondary school systems, female labor force participation has remained low in comparison to males. There is evidence that higher education for females in societies leads to increased social benefits and better parenting, but, despite these facts, female work forces in nations throughout the world have not been properly utilized to date. Inequality between urban and rural groups remains an issue in regards to access to education opportunities, and it has resulted in low secondary school enrolment rates in rural populations. Enrolment rates in secondary schools in developing nations by young males and females from the poorest homes are at 26% in comparison to young males and females from wealthy homes, which are at 71%. Enrolment rates in secondary schools in developing nations from rural areas are at nearly 40% for both sexes in comparison to 55% in urban areas for both sexes. Countries that have adopted universal primary and secondary education for all of their citizens have changed the lives of future generations, but rural areas have historically been reached last with the implementation of universal education, which is clearly reflected in their low attendance rates in developing nations throughout the world. The seventeenth through the twentieth measurements analyzed the annual ratio of people at the national poverty line average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). 60

51 Despite sporadic reporting by the 193 nations analyzed in this study between the 1993 and 2014 time period, it can be concluded that the annual ratio of people at the national poverty line throughout the world rose substantially in a comparison between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period by more than 67%. Reporting by the nations in the second time period measured, from 2004 to 2014, was higher, but the majority of nations did not report annual ratios of people at the national poverty line with regularity. Although poverty rates have risen between the two time periods measured in this study, extreme poverty rates have decreased throughout the world over the last three decades in every region with the exception of Sub-Saharan Africa (The World Bank Group, 2016). The decreasing rates of extreme poverty are positive, and it shows educational and economic advancement throughout the world, especially in most of the developing countries. In the 1980s, there were about 1.9 billion people throughout the world living on less than a dollar a day, but this number had dropped to 21% by The population of the developing world has also increased by nearly 60% since the 1980s, which shows that steps taken by national governments and Western non-governmental organizations have had a positive effect on decreasing global poverty rates. Presently, there are still 1.2 billion people throughout the world living in extreme poverty, but poverty rates have fallen dramatically in most of the world in comparison to past decades, specifically in Latin American, the Caribbean, and other regions. Despite the falling rates of poverty throughout the world, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the only region in the world in which the extreme poverty rate has risen, which has resulted in a more than 200% poverty increase in the last three decades. In the 1980s, there were 205 million individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa living in extreme poverty, but there are almost 415 million living in extreme poverty in the region today. These statistics represent an increase in population size, and a failure of national governments and Western non-profit organizations to assist these individuals correctly. These figures show a failure of interventions to meet people's basic life, health, and educational needs in the region, which is likely to persist without strong intervention and negatively impact future generations in the region in coming decades. Despite being able to reduce the extreme poverty rates for the 1.2 billion people with just $169 billion dollars or.25% of the world's gross domestic product, it is clear that the problems that have led to poverty in these regions and failure of programs to intervene has persisted, but it is not clear what the contributing factors are. A multidimensional approach would 61

52 suggest that it has resulted from government corruption, war, lack of access to beneficial programs, and cultural aversion. The twenty-first through the twenty-fourth measurements analyzed the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period for 193 nations in the world with the exception of Nauru and the Vatican City State (Nations Online, 2016). Despite sporadic reporting by the 193 nations analyzed in this study between the 1993 and 2014 time period, it can be concluded that the annual Internet use per one hundred people throughout the world rose substantially between the 1993 to 2003 time period and the 2004 and 2014 time period by more than 408%. Reporting by the nations in the second time period measured, from 2004 to 2014, was higher, but the majority of nations did not report annual Internet use per one hundred people annually. The reporting, however, for this measurement was higher in both the 1993 to 2003 time period and 2004 to 2014 time period than other areas analyzed in this study. In the world today, there are presently 3.1 billion individuals that have access to the Internet who use it for economic development, businesses, education, health care, information, and much more, but there remain 4.2 billion people that have not been able to take part in the digital revolution yet (West, 2015). Internet access has been steadily growing at a rate of 9% annually, but 58% of the world's population is still unable to participate in the social, economic, and civic benefits of the digital revolution. Obtaining access for billions of people is made difficult by poverty, high charges, domestic infrastructure, and government policies toward telecommunication's technology. The benefits of digital technology make the expansion of Internet access and other digital services essential for humanity and globalization move forward. Keys to improving Internet access throughout the world are reducing telecommunications costs and taxes, expanding and modernizing network efficiency, creating affordable licensing fees and incentives to improve infrastructure through private service provider competition, increasing access to content and promoting digital literacy at the national level, and enabling free telecommunications services through public institutions in conjunction with the promotion of free expression and multilingualism. The aforementioned improvements will be essential to getting the 4.2 billion 62

53 people without Internet access online, and the adoption of these policies at the national level will narrow the gap between individuals with Internet access and will result in the benefits of the Internet for those who presently do not have access to it throughout the world. To decrease the numbers of people who lack Internet access worldwide, national government and Western non-governmental programs must be set up sustainable access to telecommunications and the digital technology necessary to access it. It is important to make progress throughout the entire world in regards to Internet access, but it is particularly important to increase access to the Internet and censored forms of it in India and China because these two nations makeup over 50% of the individuals who lack access to it at 2.2 billion people. Increasing access to the Internet for individuals who presently do not have it would result in increased tools for economic development and social integration within these nations. Policies in India, China, and the rest of the world must promote telecommunication competition at the national level to reduce access charges, which will result in increased literacy that can contribute to poverty reduction and economic benefits if individuals are provided Internet services that are affordable with digital content that is multilingual. The twenty-fifth through the thirty-second measurements analyzed the annual youth literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twentyfour and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period for the states that disclosed national annual youth literacy rate data for both sexes in a minimum of five out of the six years reported from 2007 to 2012 of the 193 nations measured (Nations Online, 2016). Every nation analyzed in the twenty-fifth through twenty-eighth measurement showed a positive increase in their annual youth literacy rates for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four with the exception of Uruguay. Uruguay, however, had the highest annual youth literacy rates for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four out of the eight nations analyzed in both the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period, and it showed a negative percentage of change between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period at less than 1%. The group's annual youth literacy 63

54 rates for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four increased below 1% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. The other nations showed slight increases in youth literacy rates between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period with increases of less that 1% with the exception of Ecuador, Turkey, and El Salvador. Ecuador showed an annual youth literacy rate increase for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four both sexes out of the eight nations analyzed in a comparison of the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period at 2.7%, Turkey showed an annual youth literacy rate increase for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four both sexes out of the eight nations analyzed in a comparison of the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period at 1.6%, and El Salvador showed an annual youth literacy rate increase for both sexes for individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four both sexes out of the eight nations analyzed in a comparison of the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period at 1.5%. Every nation analyzed in the twenty-ninth through thirty-second measurement showed a positive increase in their annual Internet use per one hundred people between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. The group of nations analyzed showed a 35% increase as a whole in annual Internet use per one hundred people between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. The three nations with the largest positive percentage of change in annual Internet use per one hundred people between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period were El Salvador, Mexico, and Ecuador. El Salvador's annual Internet use per one hundred people increased between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period by more than 94%, Ecuador's annual Internet use per one hundred people increased between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period by more than 76%, and Mexico's annual Internet use per one hundred people increased between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period by more than 57%. Access to the Internet not only allows young people and adults the opportunity to engage in informal learning process, but it empowers people in the modern world as individuals. Internet use encourages all users listen, respond, give feedback, think critically, take participation seriously, and engage in activities both individually and in groups (Livingstone, 2008). The Internet is particularly exciting for young people because it offers opportunities for responsiveness, feedback, networking, and creative activities, which are often lacking from traditional classrooms and curricula designed for young people by adults. It is important for societies to celebrate young people's use and enthusiasm of the Internet because failing to support their embracing of digital literacy and its importance in the future risks brining to fruition our hopes of modern telecommunication and young people themselves. Society, however, should not overestimate young people's digital literacy because the use of the Internet shifts the responsibility of literacy from providers to users. The thirty-third through the fortieth measurements analyzed the annual adult literacy rate average, percentage of change, and shift for both sexes for individuals who were fifteen years or older and the annual Internet use per one hundred people average, percentage of change, and shift between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period for the states that disclosed national annual adult literacy rate data for individuals fifteen years of age or older for both sexes in a minimum of five out of the six years reported from 2007 to 2012 of the 193 nations measured (Nations Online, 2016). 64

55 Every nation analyzed in the thirty-third through thirty-sixth measurements showed a positive increase in their annual adult literacy rates for both sexes for individuals older than fifteen years of age. The percentage of change for the entire group measured showed an increase in annual adult literacy rates for both sexes for individuals older than fifteen years of age by nearly 2% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. Ecuador, Turkey, and Bolivia showed the largest increase in annual adult literacy rates for both sexes for individuals older than fifteen years of age of the group of nations measured between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. Ecuador's annual adult literacy rates for both sexes for individuals older than fifteen years of age rose by 9% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period, Turkey's annual adult literacy rates for both sexes for individuals older than fifteen years of age rose by 4.6% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period, and Bolivia's annual adult literacy rates for both sexes for individuals older than fifteen years of age rose by 2.7% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. Every nation analyzed in the thrity-seventh through fortieth measurements showed a positive increase in their annual Internet use per one hundred people between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. The group of nations analyzed showed a 51% increase as a whole in their annual Internet use per one hundred people between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. The nations with the largest percentage of change in their annual Internet use per one hundred people between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period were Azerbaijan, Bolivia, and El Salvador. Azerbaijan's annual Internet use per one hundred people increased by 155% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period, Bolivia's annual Internet use per one hundred people increased by 121% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period, and El Salvador's annual Internet use per one hundred people increased by nearly 96% between the 2007 to 2009 time period and the 2010 to 2012 time period. Analysts and educators worldwide have acknowledged that an important shift has occurred in societies and education systems worldwide as a result of technological change (Wagner & Kozma, 2005). Technology has resulted in a large change in the manner in which individuals gain knowledge, which has resulted in a knowledge-based economy that is presently driving productivity and economic growth. New information and knowledge that is produced and shared over the Internet has resulted in increased innovation throughout the world and new types of employment. The developments "human, 65