The Impact of Household Computer Ownership on the Educational Attainment of Chinese Adolescents

Using multiple waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), this study is the first to examine the impact that household computer ownership has on educational attainment in a less developed country. A multi-level mixed effects regression model is used to determine which individual, household, and community level characteristics explain variation in educational attainment among Chinese adolescents. The results show that household personal computer (PC) ownership gives Chinese youth a significant advantage in education attainment but this depends upon age, household income and where the adolescent lives. This study provides new evidence that access to a home PC enhances educational attainment. Lack of access to a home PC and its impact on lower levels of educational attainment are exacerbated over time, becoming more acute as the adolescent ages, perhaps, leading to an achievement gap. Further, access to a home computer, translates into greater educational productivity in suburban areas compared to rural areas.