2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Digital Access Models for Closing the Digital Equity Gap, Improving Academic Performance Among Underserved Students.

Presented at CIT Technical Session 3: Student Success, Engagement, and Analytics.

In a world where academic success increasingly depends on digital fluency, access to technology has become a new form of literacy and a defining measure of educational opportunity. Yet, many underserved students in urban schools remain disconnected from the digital tools essential for learning, creating a persistent equity gap. Guided by Kabeer’s Empowerment Framework (1999), which links resources (access), agency (confidence and use), and achievements (academic performance), this study investigates how equitable laptop access and broadband connectivity influence students’ learning outcomes, engagement, and digital self-efficacy. Two guiding research questions structure the study: (1) What is the impact of digital access on academic outcomes and equity gaps among students in Underserved Cities? and (2) What barriers and supports influence students’ ability to use laptops effectively for academic learning and engagement? Each data source contributes distinctly to answering these questions: validated student surveys capture perceived self-efficacy and usage frequency (agency), institutional datasets measure academic outcomes such as course completion (achievement), and semi-structured interviews with students and teachers provide insight into contextual barriers and supports (resources and conditions). Thematic analysis and a convergent mixed-methods design will synthesize qualitative findings to explain observed patterns. Preliminary observations from a pilot phase suggest that structured, consistent laptop integration fosters higher LMS engagement and course completion rates. The resulting Digital Access Measurement Toolkit will serve as both a research instrument and an implementation guide, helping schools track equity metrics, structure device distribution routines, and design ongoing support systems that enable students to use technology effectively. Ultimately, this study positions digital access not as a technological intervention but as a transformative strategy for academic empowerment and inclusive success

Authors

Jeremiah Olaoluwa Akinlade http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1908-2361 Morgan State University [biography]

Jeremiah Olaoluwa Akinlade is a Doctoral student in Civil Engineering at Morgan State University, with strong interests in structural and transportation engineering, data-driven analysis, and engineering education. His academic and research pursuits align closely with ASEE’s mission of advancing excellence, innovation, and inclusivity in engineering education, with a focus on translating research into impactful teaching, workforce development, and real-world engineering practice.
Julius Ogaga Etuke http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2710-2803 Morgan State University [biography]

Julius Ogaga Etuke is a seasoned civil engineer and Ph.D. Candidate in Civil Engineering at Morgan State University, where his research focuses on sustainable and resilient infrastructure engineering. With over 15 years of consulting and project leadership experience, primarily in Nigeria's infrastructure landscape, he brings a robust, practical perspective to academic inquiry. His doctoral research is at the cutting edge of transportation resilience, integrating virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), climate adaptation modeling, and data-driven solutions to improve disaster preparedness and risk mitigation in complex transportation systems. As a COREN-registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, his work emphasizes impactful research and consultancy that bridges structural design principles with urgent sustainability and resilience challenges.
Samuel Sola Akosile Morgan State University [biography]

Samuel Sola Akosile is a Civil Engineering Ph.D. student at Morgan State University, specializing in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering with a focus on transportation and geotechnical systems. His work focuses on sustainable soil stabilization, resilient transportation infrastructure, and engineering systems performance analysis.

He is an inductee of Tau Chi Alpha and currently serves as a Transportation Engineer/Inspector with the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA), where he supports highway construction oversight and infrastructure quality assurance.

His professional interests bridge research, practice, and engineering education to advance resilient and equitable infrastructure systems.
Oluwafisayo Jessica Adeolu Morgan State University [biography]

Oluwafisayo Jessica Adeolu is a Master candidate in Data Analytics and Visualization at Morgan State University and a Research Assistant in the Department of Civil Engineering. Her research focuses on digital equity, higher education outcomes, and data-driven approaches to urban systems which includes traffic noise variability and academic success among underserved populations. With over a decade of professional experience in data analytics, customer experience leadership, and operational management across retail, manufacturing, and supply chain sectors in Nigeria, she brings a practitioner's perspective to her academic work.
Dr. Olushola V. Emiola-Owolabi http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-8521-5769 Morgan State University [biography]

Olushola Emiola-Owolabi is an engineering pedagogy specialist, researching active learning in engineering classrooms and specializing in qualitative methods research on teaching and learning – particularly in remote synchronous learning environments.
Dr. Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E. Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Oludare Owolabi, a professional engineer in Maryland, joined the Morgan State University faculty in 2010. He is the director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Lab, Department of Civil Engineering at Morgan State University
Dr. Uttam Gaulee http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-2812

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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