Digital Inequality and Academic Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and Caribbean Colombian Secondary Students

Although many studies have addressed the impact of limited digital access on learning opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in industrialized countries, this is not the case in emerging economies. This study explores the relationship between digital access and academic performance among secondary school students in China and three major cities of the Colombian Caribbean. Data used for this study was retrieved from open secondary and alternative sources, including PISA results, results of national assessments, and several international education indicators. A single hypothesis was developed to examine the impact of digital inequality on academic performance in both countries. To operationalize and test the hypothesis, a series of operations and tests of reliability, correlation analysis, and regression analysis with interaction effects were employed. The results of the study suggest that limited digital access has a greater negative impact on academic performance in the Caribbean than in China and contributes to comparative education discussions about the concept of digital equity in emerging economies.