One Laptop per Child: Long-Run Evidence From Uruguay

Maria Yanguas

Governments and organizations around the globe are seeking to expand children’s access to computers and the internet as the United Nations calls for efforts to eliminate the digital divide. However, little is known about the effects that these will have on long-run human capital investments. This paper estimates the causal effect of access to technology on educational attainment and major choice. In order to establish a causal link, I exploit variation in access to computers and internet connection in primary and middle school students of Uruguay, the first country to implement a national-scale one-laptop-per child program. Consistent with short-run evidence, the findings suggest that technology access alone does not by itself improve educational outcomes. Despite a sizable increase in computer access during primary and middle school, enrollment in post-secondary education did not increase. However, there were some positive effects on high school enrollment.

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 Presented in Session 67. The Short- and Long Terms Consequences of K–12 Educational Attainment