Exploring the Second-Level Digital Divide in Elementary Science Classrooms: A Video-Based Comparative Analysis

This study investigates technology integration in elementary science classrooms across regions with varying per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to determine whether a second-level digital divide exists in these classrooms, with particular attention given to the frequency, quality, type, and purpose of technology integration. We employ a mixed methods design that combines the quantitative coding and qualitative observation of classroom videos, and we analyze 178 elementary science classroom videos from schools in 28 provincial-level administrative regions in China. The findings indicate that although technology integration is observed in science classrooms across all regions, a second-level digital divide is evident: a significantly higher frequency and quality of technology integration occurs in schools in regions with a higher per capita GDP than in schools in regions with a lower per capita GDP. Our results reveal no differences in the low-quality technology integration across schools in regions with varying per capita GDP; rather, the crucial disparity lies in the significantly lower occurrence of high-quality technology integration in low-GDP regions. Furthermore, this second-level digital divide is prominently reflected in the types and purposes of technologies closely related to science learning. Specifically, schools in regions with higher per capita GDP are more inclined to integrate science-related technologies to support students’ engagement in scientific practices, whereas schools in regions with lower per capita GDP tend to use non-science-related technologies to support general instructional tasks.