Does home internet use influence the academic performance of low-income children?

Abstract

HomeNetToo is a longitudinal field study designed to examine the antecedents and consequences of home Internet use in low-income families (http://www.HomeNetToo.org). The study was done between December 2000 and June 2002. Among the consequences considered was children's academic performance. Participants were 140 children, mostly African American (83%), mostly boys (58%), and most living in single-parent households (75%) in which the median annual income was $15,000 (U.S. dollars) or less. Average age was 13.8 years. Ages ranged between 10 and 18 years, Internet use was continuously recorded, and multiple measures of academic performance were obtained during the 16-month trial. Findings indicated that children who used the Internet more had higher scores on standardized tests of reading achievement and higher grade point averages 6 months, 1 year, and 16 months later than did children who used it less. Older children used the Internet more than did younger children, but age had no effect on the nature or the academic performance benefits of Internet use. Implications for the digital "use" divide are discussed.

Digital Divide amongst Urban Youths in Malaysia – Myth or Reality?

“…Digital Divide is an important issue with grave consequences for individual, communities and countries because those without access to ICT are likely to be deprived of knowledge and could face severe economic and social deprivation with little prospects of catching up. In this current digital age, online users gain considerable academic, economic, financial, and social benefits from the Internet (Anderson, Bikson, Law, & Mitchell, 1995;L. A. Jackson et al, 2006b;USC ASCDF, 2005).…”

Home educational resources, out of school factors and foreign language achievement: A study exploring the Turkish context

“…Supporting this finding, studies of home computer access have exposed promising correlations between academic achievement and having access to computer at home (Attewell & Battle, 1999;Attewell, SuazoGarcia, & Battle 2003;Borzekowski & Robinson, 2005;Fiorini, 2010;Judge, 2005;Jackson et al, 2006). However, other technological home resources such as having Internet connection at home and owning a DVD player were found to have no relationship with L2 achievement.…”

“…According to Teachman (1987), the availability of home resources such as books, home computer, and reading materials creates an environment favorable to studying and makes students display a positive alignment toward education. The availability of reading materials in the home is positively related to children's academic achievement (Leibowitz, 1977) Studies of home computer access have discovered promising correlations between academic achievement and having access to computer at home (Attewell & Battle, 1999;Attewell, SuazoGarcia, & Battle, 2003;Borzekowski & Robinson, 2005;Fiorini, 2010;Jackson et al, 2006;Judge, 2005). In his research that examined how school and student characteristics are related to Turkish students' English course achievement, Güvendir (2015) found that students who have a private study room, computer, educational software in his/her computer, and literary books had higher English achievement scores compared to the students for whom these resources were missing in their home environment.…”

The Impact of Self-Esteem and Internet Use on Academic Performance

“…The research contains a relationship between academic performance/academic achievement and self-esteem are found in the research conducted by Vialle, Heaven, and Ciarrochi (2005) and Martin et al (2005). While the research containing the findings of how the academic performance/achievement is related to the use of the Internet can be found on the research by Jackson et al (2006), and Chen and Fu (2009).…”