DIGITAL DIVIDE AND ITS IMPACTS ON ENEM PROFICIENCY: A STUDY OF LOW-INCOME HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES FROM 2015 TO 2023

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of household access to the internet and computers on the proficiency of low-income 12th-grade students who participated in the ENEM between 2015 and 2023. A sample of 1.5 million students was analyzed to test hypotheses using statistical models, focusing on isolating the net effect of internet and computer access on students' scores. The study period was marked by significant changes, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The analyses provided evidence on the importance of these technological resources for students' proficiency. Additionally, the findings revealed that home internet access alone has a small yet positive impact. However, the combination of home internet and computer access leads to a significant increase in student proficiency, with even greater effects observed during and in the years following the pandemic. Variables such as gender, maternal education, and race also influenced proficiency. Female students exhibited lower performance, as did those whose mothers had lower levels of education. Conversely, white students demonstrated higher performance in the exams, reflecting the effects of social inequalities and exclusionary processes on education in the country. The results highlight that digital exclusion significantly impacts students' performance in the ENEM, suggesting that policies aimed at expanding access to technology in the home environment could have positive effects on education in the country