The influence of ICT access and use on 6th grade mathematics achievement in Latin America and the Caribbean

Background. The effects of information and communication technologies (ICT) on learning remain contested, with mixed findings across contexts. This study examines whether ICT access and use at school and at home relate to sixth-grade mathematics achievement in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and whether those relationships are consistent across countries. Methods. Using ERCE 2019 data from 16 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries (~ 80,000 sixth graders), weighted country-specific regressions were run, accounting for stratified sampling, clustering by school, and the combination of five plausible values. Missing data were addressed via multiple imputation. Country coefficients were then pooled using random-effects meta-analysis (precision-weighted), yielding regional average effects and heterogeneity statistics, and pooled estimates were compared with country patterns. Results. At school, having one’s own computer in class negatively predicted math achievement, while access to learning software was a positive predictor; general computer access, school internet access, and mobile labs were not significant overall. At home, access to a computer for student use was strongly and positively associated with achievement, whereas internet access at home showed a significant negative association; specific reported uses of the computer (homework, games, social media, etc.) were not significant. Among background and school covariates, being a boy, math self-efficacy, higher household SES, and parental education expectations were positive predictors; Indigenous identity was negatively associated; immigrant status was not significant. School socioeconomic area, private school attendance, and support for math learning were positive predictors, while rural school status was not significant overall. Cross-country comparisons revealed substantial heterogeneity: some effects (e.g., home internet, rural status) varied in sign and significance across systems, even when the pooled effect was significant. Conclusions. ICT’s influence on math achievement in LAC is context-dependent: access that enables purposeful academic work (e.g. home computer) relates positively to outcomes, whereas undirected connectivity (home internet) and personal devices in class relate negatively on average. Results caution against technology-only policies and underscore the need for guidance, teacher preparation, and structures that channel ICT toward learning goals. Future work should identify mediators and moderators—pedagogical practices, digital literacy, and usage patterns—that explain the observed cross-country variation.