Physical and Digital Spaces: The Intersection of Campus Climate and Technology

Although models of campus climate for diversity exist, there is little research about the role of technology in campus climate. The present study investigated how technology, such as digital devices, digital literacy, digital mediums, and digitally mediated communication, function in relation to campus climate among students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color at a Predominantly White Institution using data from in-depth interviews. Specifically, lacking access to digital devices or training for how to use the type of technology used in classes (i.e., digital literacy) can be a barrier to inclusion in interactions in classrooms and online. However, technology can also be a tool that supports social and academic interactions. Digitally mediated communication can mirror or amplify prejudice, discrimination, and marginalization occurring in physical spaces in digital spaces. Finally, digitally mediated communication can enable students to connect to the institution and readily identify and compare institutional responses to racist events on campus and draw conclusions about institutional values and priorities. Directions for future research and the implications for institutions of higher education are discussed.