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Unveiling the Dynamics of Educational Equity: Exploring the Third Type of Digital Divide for Primary and Secondary Schools in China

Author

Listed:
  • Ping Wang

    (Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Zhiyuan Li

    (Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Yujing Wang

    (Faculty of Humanities, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK)

  • Feiye Wang

    (Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the integration of online learning into primary and secondary education. However, gaps persist in academic research, particularly in understanding its impact on educational equity within the third-type digital divide. This study conducted an equity-focused review to assess online learning’s impact on primary and secondary education within this context. It developed a theoretical framework integrating elements from schooling and home environments to explore equity implications in online learning. Building on this, the study proposed and validated a conceptual model using structural equation modeling (SEM), analyzing data from 1236 students in Shenzhen, China. The study found that both school investment and family involvement indirectly influence students’ online learning outcomes through complete mediating effects on students’ online learning engagement. Family investment slightly outweighs school education in its influence on outcomes. Consequently, online education within the environmental divide potentially hinders educational equity, necessitating caution with large-scale online education initiatives. This study fills research gaps on the digital divide in the third environment, leveraging China’s pandemic experience with online education. It also integrates school education and family input to examine the impact of large-scale online learning and its associated strategies on educational equity, providing insights into the promotion of educational equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ping Wang & Zhiyuan Li & Yujing Wang & Feiye Wang, 2024. "Unveiling the Dynamics of Educational Equity: Exploring the Third Type of Digital Divide for Primary and Secondary Schools in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-24, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:11:p:4868-:d:1410251
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel Aaronson & Lisa Barrow & William Sander, 2007. "Teachers and Student Achievement in the Chicago Public High Schools," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 25(1), pages 95-135.
    2. Xiaohong Liu & Li Zhao & Yu-Sheng Su, 2022. "Impact of Parents’ Attitudes on Learning Ineffectiveness: The Mediating Role of Parental Self-Efficacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-15, January.
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