Mobile internet access is hurting student test scores, according to a recent study.
The research paper, titled ‘3G Internet and Human Capital Development’, shows that test score declines are most significant among female students, students whose parents have less education and those in lower-income countries. These groups also exhibit the largest increases in daily internet browsing following the introduction of 3G networks.
Study co-authors, University of Auckland economics lecturer Sam Stemper and Harvard PhD candidate Ronak Jain, utilised test score data from over two million students across 82 countries, including Aotearoa, through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
They also leveraged the staggered rollout of 3G technology to investigate the impact of mobile internet access on student academic performance over nearly two decades from 2000 to 2018.
By linking 3G mobile network data to students’ test scores, they discovered that having access to mobile internet leads to more young people owning smartphones and using the internet. In turn, this is linked to lower test scores in all PISA subjects.
“Our research sets the stage for a more in-depth exploration of how internet usage has become ingrained in students’ lives, impacting not only their academic pursuits but also various other aspects,” says Jain.
To gain insights into students’ engagement, social connectedness and mental wellbeing within the school context, the researchers look at homework hours, absenteeism, ease of making fri
