Migrant and Urban Children’s Educational Engagement with Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the Digital Age in Beijing.

Abstract

This thesis embarks on a unique journey, examining Chinese migrant and urban children’s engagement with ICTs in the context of education. The Chinese population, divided into urban and rural huji due to the household registration system, has witnessed a significant shift since the ‘Open and Reform’ policy started in 1978, which aimed to transition China from a centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Millions of rural children have migrated to cities with their parents, earning the label of migrant children, meaning they cannot receive the same educational opportunities and quality in cities as their urban counterparts. Education continues to be a primary avenue for Chinese people to achieve upward mobility and address inequality. In this digital age, ICTs are viewed as tools to bridge disparities between advantaged and disadvantaged groups on education, by enabling diverse, abundant, and self-directed learning. Against this dynamic backdrop, the study delves into whether there are differences between urban and migrant children’s access to and use of ICT.
I conducted 27 semi-structured interviews in Beijing from 2022 to 2023, including six migrant children, six urban children (all children aged between 11-13); six migrant parents, six urban parents, and three teachers from different types of schools. The study found that migrant and urban parents have different attitudes towards the internet, and skills in using it, affecting their children’s access, learning, and use. Urban children access the internet earlier and receive more parental guidance than migrant children. Both urban and migrant families significantly influence children’s online habits. In my research, urban children have what I am describing as ‘unlimited choice and limited freedom’, while migrant children have ‘limited choice and unlimited freedom’ in using the
internet. Also, increased parental involvement and learning flexibility were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Chinese urban and migrant children both face controls on their internet use and password restrictions, they have different limitations on equipment and content. They subtly break parents’ rules and restrictions, strategies embedded in China’s filial piety
culture.
By delving into reported parent-child interactions regarding the educational use of ICTs at home, this study asserts that parents’ economic conditions, working conditions, and ICT skills are influential factors in children’s ICT engagement, serving as forms of family capital. However, children can still subtly exercise their agency within a context of China’s filial piety culture to fulfil their desires.
From a policy perspective, it is crucial to provide basic digital devices in schools, or supplements for families, to ensure an initial equal digital environment. Moreover, offering basic training in digital skills for parents and children can significantly enhance effective ICTs use. This study not only enriches the theory of capital by identifying new forms of capital in migrant and urban Chinese families in the digital age but also contributes to a deeper understanding of children’s
agency.

Date of Award	9 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Debbie L Watson (Supervisor) & Jo Staines (Supervisor)