Exploring Students’ Experiences and Perspectives on the Role of Digital Technology in Improving Access to Education in the Modern Era

Richo Agusty Ansah (Departemen, of Electrical Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya)
Zidni Ma'ruf (Department of Language and Tourism, Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya)
M. Radit Dzikrullah (Departemen, of Electrical Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya)
Baginda Sonata Simamora (Departemen, of Electrical Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya)
M. Nugraha Apriansyah (Departemen, of Electrical Engineering, Politeknik Negeri Sriwijaya)

Jurnal Teknologi Dan Sistem Informasi Bisnis
Vol. 8 No. 3 (2026): Juli 2026

The exponential growth of educational technologies has transformed the entire framework of higher education, making it highly adaptive through digitalization of traditional frameworks. This paper investigates the lived experiences of undergraduate students on the impact of digital technologies in enhancing the reach of education. Adopting a qualitative approach in the form of a case study, semi-structured interviews were carried out involving an equal number of six university students (3 male, 3 female). Thematic analysis reveals that digital learning and new age pedagogies provide unparalleled spatiotemporal flexibility, promote self-learning, and empower learners to access information globally. However, it is evident that some inherent structural barriers such as digital literacy differences, technological inconsistency, and infrastructural inequality continue to keep students disengaged from digitalization. It can be said that although digital modes help overcome geographical boundaries in education, a balanced approach between institutionality and digitization is required for equitable education.