Determinants of internet use by school-age children: The challenges for Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the deep digital divide in Mexico and the enormous challenge faced by its education system in continuing to educate the country's students while under confinement. The objective of this article was to examine the determinants of internet access, use and productive uses for school-age children in households of different socioeconomic levels. The Heckman selection model was estimated based on data taken from the Encuesta Nacional sobre Disponibilidad y Uso de Tecnologias de la Informaci ' on en los Hogares (ENDUTIH or National Survey on the Availability and Use of Information Technologies in the Household) 2018. The results obtained show that the probability of having children internet accessing and usage patterns (homework, courses, and blogs) depends on level of schooling, economic status, digital skills, and place of residence, as well as the presence of electronic devices and infomediaries in the household. These findings suggest the urgent need to redesign current ICT policy with a long-term integrated vision that guarantees access to ICTs and their productive use for students immersed in an ecosystem of educational innovation for the XXI century.

Automated summary

This article examines the determinants of internet access, use, and productive use for school-age children in households of different socioeconomic levels in Mexico. The results show that education level, economic status, digital skills, place of residence, and the presence of electronic devices and infomediaries in the household have an impact on children's internet access and usage patterns. Therefore, there is an urgent need to redesign ICT policies to ensure long-term access and productive use of ICTs for students.