Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Gender on High School Seniors’ Use of Computers at Home and at School

This article critically examines the claim that computers in schools can democratize education by providing equal opportunities for skill development. Using data from the 1996 Alberta High School Graduate Survey, the study investigates how gender and socioeconomic status (SES) interact to shape patterns of computer access and job-relevant use.

Key findings include:

• Reproduction of inequality at home: Students from higher SES families were more likely to use computers at home for word processing and technical applications, reinforcing existing advantages.
• Unexpected school patterns: Lower SES and less academically successful students reported higher school computer use, suggesting that schools serve as compensatory sites rather than equalizers.
• Gender differences: Male students were more likely than female peers to engage in technical uses of computers both at home and at school.
• Interaction effects: SES, academic program, and gender intersected in complex ways, conditioning both home and school computer use.

The authors conclude that while computers have become important cultural capital in the home, their capacity to reduce educational inequalities is limited, since existing stratification continues to shape access and use:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.

Recommended citation: Lowe, G. S., Krahn, H., & Sosteric, M. (2003). "Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Gender on High School Seniors’ Use of Computers at Home and at School." *Alberta Journal of Educational Research*, 49(2), 138–154. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/ajer.v49i2.54970
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