A laptop for every child? The impact of technology on human capital formation

Abstract Children's learning environments are becoming increasingly technologically advanced. Many schools today provide a personal computer to each pupil for use both in the classroom and at home. We investigate how such 1:1-programs affect school performance in lower secondary school. By surveying schools in 26 Swedish municipalities regarding the implementation of 1:1-programs and combining this information with rich administrative data, we estimate the impact on educational outcomes using a difference-in-differences design. We find no effect on average performance on standardized tests in mathematics or language, nor on upper secondary school enrollment. However, 1:1-initiatives seem to increase inequality by worsening the performance among low-SES students.