Does digital access translate into human capital gains? Assessing information technology use effects on cognitive and non-cognitive development of students in Western Rural China
Bin Tang, Zeming Cheng, Xiaoli Lin, Yunxuan Cao, Siyi Xiao, Yunhui Ma, Kaixuan Gao · 2026
Read Does digital access translate into human capital gains? Assessing information technology use effects on cognitive and non-cognitive development of students in Western Rural China by Bin Tang, Zeming Cheng, Xiaoli Lin, Yunxuan Cao, Siyi Xiao, Yunhui Ma, Kaixuan Gao (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/plos-pone-0349438.txt.
Description
Bin Tang and co-authors asked whether using computers and other information tools actually helps rural schoolchildren learn and grow. They studied third and fourth graders in poor areas of western China, using survey data collected in two rounds across 2019 and 2020. Their 2026 analysis matched similar students with and without heavy technology use, then compared how each group changed over time.
Technology use showed no clear gain in test-based thinking skills, though the trend leaned slightly positive. Frequent use did seem to make children more open and fonder of school and teachers, yet it was also tied to more self-blame and worry. Effects were stronger for older children and for poorer families. The authors urge support that keeps the benefits while limiting the harms.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Bin Tang, Zeming Cheng, Xiaoli Lin, Yunxuan Cao, Siyi Xiao, Yunhui Ma, Kaixuan Gao |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 78909 |
| LICENSE | CC_BY |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | PLOS |