Final answer:
The digital engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic was mainly hindered by a lack of internet access, which is closely related to the digital divide. This gap had significant consequences for education, particularly affecting students in rural and low-income areas and widening existing educational inequalities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability to engage digitally during the COVID-19 pandemic was further complicated by a) Lack of internet access. This issue can be directly attributed to the digital divide, which is the differential ability to access the internet, leading to unequal opportunities to use the knowledge found online. This divide was exacerbated by the pandemic, impacting not only current educational experiences but also the future livelihoods of students, especially in low- and middle-income countries and rural areas where the digital desert phenomenon is more pronounced. The pandemic exposed existing educational disparities, with technology access varying significantly by race, class, and age despite improvements in affordability of technology. Additionally, the pandemic amplified challenges such as teacher shortages and worsened issues like poverty and funding in rural districts.