The impact of poverty stigma on computer and information literacy among China's rural students

Abstract

Rural middle school students often experience significant educational disparities compared to their urban peers, particularly in developing computer skills and computer and information literacy (CIL). However, there has been insufficient research on the impact of poverty stigma on their CIL development. To address this literature gap, this research examines the influence of poverty stigma and self-efficacy on CIL performance among rural eighth graders in two studies. Guided by the social cognitive theory and labeling theory, Study 1 (n1 = 2783) analyzes the mediating effects of family socioeconomic status and self-efficacy on CIL, while Study 2 (n2 = 2153) investigates the mediating effects of perceived poverty stigma at the dimensions of social stigma and self-stigma on CIL. The results suggest that poverty, family socioeconomic status, and computer use at school positively affect CIL, with self-efficacy mediating the relationship between them. While students from low-resourced families do not perceive social stigma as directly impacting their CIL, self-stigma plays a mediating role between perceived social stigma and CIL. These findings have significant implications for educators seeking to improve CIL in the digital age, emphasizing the importance of increasing computer access at school for better educational outcomes.