IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jmathe/v9y2021i20p2600-d657493.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

One Laptop per Child? Using Production Frontiers for Evaluating the Escuela 2.0 Program in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Feliciano

    (Faculty of Economics, Complutense University of Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

  • Laura López-Torres

    (Department of Economics and Business, Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, 22802 Madrid, Spain)

  • Daniel Santín

    (Computense Institute of Economic Analysis (ICAE), Complutense University of Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Over the last few decades, public programs have driven the gradual adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in education. The most ambitious project in Spain so far was Escuela 2.0 , which provided students from the regions that opted into the program with laptops. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of this program on school performance and productivity. To do this, we developed a new methodological approach based on combining causal inference techniques and the analysis of production frontiers. We calculated the differences in productivity and performance between treated and control schools using the base-group Camanho–Dyson Malmquist index and the base-group performance gap index. We estimate the impact of the program as the variation of these differences, following the essence of the difference-in-differences analysis. The main results are that Escuela 2.0 had a negative impact on performance and productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Feliciano & Laura López-Torres & Daniel Santín, 2021. "One Laptop per Child? Using Production Frontiers for Evaluating the Escuela 2.0 Program in Spain," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(20), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:9:y:2021:i:20:p:2600-:d:657493
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/9/20/2600/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/9/20/2600/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abhijit V. Banerjee & Shawn Cole & Esther Duflo & Leigh Linden, 2007. "Remedying Education: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments in India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 1235-1264.
    2. Kristof De Witte & Laura López-Torres, 2017. "Efficiency in education: a review of literature and a way forward," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 68(4), pages 339-363, April.
    3. C B Vaz & A S Camanho, 2012. "Performance comparison of retailing stores using a Malmquist-type index," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 63(5), pages 631-645, May.
    4. Lindlbauer, Ivonne & Schreyögg, Jonas & Winter, Vera, 2016. "Changes in technical efficiency after quality management certification: A DEA approach using difference-in-difference estimation with genetic matching in the hospital industry," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(3), pages 1026-1036.
    5. de Melo Gioia & Machado Alina & Miranda Alfonso, 2014. "The Impact of a One Laptop per Child Program on Learning: Evidence from Uruguay," Working Papers 2014-22, Banco de México.
    6. Austan Goolsbee & Jonathan Guryan, 2006. "The Impact of Internet Subsidies in Public Schools," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 88(2), pages 336-347, May.
    7. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    8. Martin Schlotter & Guido Schwerdt & Ludger Woessmann, 2011. "Econometric methods for causal evaluation of education policies and practices: a non-technical guide," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 109-137.
    9. Carrillo, Paul E. & Onofa, Mercedes & Ponce, Juan, 2010. "Information Technology and Student Achievement: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Ecuador," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 3094, Inter-American Development Bank.
    10. Edwin Leuven & Mikael Lindahl & Hessel Oosterbeek & Dinand Webbink, 2007. "The Effect of Extra Funding for Disadvantaged Pupils on Achievement," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 89(4), pages 721-736, November.
    11. Mohsin, Muhammad & Hanif, Imran & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Abbas, Qaiser & Iqbal, Wasim, 2021. "Nexus between energy efficiency and electricity reforms: A DEA-Based way forward for clean power development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    12. Ferreira, Diogo Cunha & Marques, Rui Cunha & Pedro, Maria Isabel, 2016. "Comparing efficiency of holding business model and individual management model of airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 168-183.
    13. Aparicio, Juan & Santin, Daniel, 2018. "A note on measuring group performance over time with pseudo-panels," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 267(1), pages 227-235.
    14. Stephen Machin & Sandra McNally & Olmo Silva, 2007. "New Technology in Schools: Is There a Payoff?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(522), pages 1145-1167, July.
    15. Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Diewert, W Erwin, 1982. "The Economic Theory of Index Numbers and the Measurement of Input, Output, and Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1393-1414, November.
    16. José M. Cordero & Víctor Cristóbal & Daniel Santín, 2018. "Causal Inference On Education Policies: A Survey Of Empirical Studies Using Pisa, Timss And Pirls," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 878-915, July.
    17. Per J. Agrell & Pontus Mattsson & Jonas Månsson, 2020. "Impacts on efficiency of merging the Swedish district courts," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 288(2), pages 653-679, May.
    18. Gregorio Gimenez & Luis Vargas-Montoya, 2021. "ICT Use and Successful Learning: The Role of the Stock of Human Capital," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(14), pages 1-15, July.
    19. Joshua Angrist & Victor Lavy, 2002. "New Evidence on Classroom Computers and Pupil Learning," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(482), pages 735-765, October.
    20. Lisa Barrow & Lisa Markman & Cecilia Elena Rouse, 2009. "Technology's Edge: The Educational Benefits of Computer-Aided Instruction," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 1(1), pages 52-74, February.
    21. Eric A. Hanushek, 1979. "Conceptual and Empirical Issues in the Estimation of Educational Production Functions," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 14(3), pages 351-388.
    22. Diogo Ferreira & Rui Marques, 2015. "Did the corporatization of Portuguese hospitals significantly change their productivity?," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(3), pages 289-303, April.
    23. A. Camanho & R. Dyson, 2006. "Data envelopment analysis and Malmquist indices for measuring group performance," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 35-49, August.
    24. A. Charnes & W. W. Cooper & E. Rhodes, 1981. "Evaluating Program and Managerial Efficiency: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis to Program Follow Through," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(6), pages 668-697, June.
    25. Steve Bradley & Jill Johnes & Allan Little, 2010. "Measurement And Determinants Of Efficiency And Productivity In The Further Education Sector In England," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 1-30, January.
    26. Jeffrey Mo, 2017. "Collaborative problem solving," PISA in Focus 78, OECD Publishing.
    27. Carla Alexandra Filipe Amado & Ana Paula Barreira & Sérgio Pereira Santos & Maria Helena Guimarães, 2019. "Comparing the quality of life of cities that gained and lost population: An assessment with DEA and the Malmquist index," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 98(5), pages 2075-2097, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mergoni, Anna & Soncin, Mara & Agasisti, Tommaso, 2023. "The effect of ICT on schools’ efficiency: Empirical evidence on 23 European countries," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    2. Francisco Pedraja-Chaparro & Daniel Santín & Rosa Simancas, 2022. "Show me the money! The impact of a conditional cash transfer on educational achievement," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(5), pages 2721-2750, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aparicio, Juan & Ortiz, Lidia & Santín, Daniel, 2021. "Comparing group performance over time through the Luenberger productivity indicator: An application to school ownership in European countries," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(2), pages 651-672.
    2. Bulman, George & Fairlie, Robert W., 2015. "Technology and Education: Computers, Software, and the Internet," IZA Discussion Papers 9432, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. D’Inverno, Giovanna & Smet, Mike & De Witte, Kristof, 2021. "Impact evaluation in a multi-input multi-output setting: Evidence on the effect of additional resources for schools," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 290(3), pages 1111-1124.
    4. Chen, Xiang & Grifell-Tatjé, Emili & Fu, Tsu-Tan, 2023. "A profit difference decomposition model for measuring group performance: an application to Chinese and Taiwanese commercial banks," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Karthik Muralidharan & Abhijeet Singh & Alejandro J. Ganimian, 2019. "Disrupting Education? Experimental Evidence on Technology-Aided Instruction in India," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(4), pages 1426-1460, April.
    6. Rodrigo Belo & Pedro Ferreira & Rahul Telang, 2014. "Broadband in School: Impact on Student Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(2), pages 265-282, February.
    7. Aparicio, Juan & Crespo-Cebada, Eva & Pedraja-Chaparro, Francisco & Santín, Daniel, 2017. "Comparing school ownership performance using a pseudo-panel database: A Malmquist-type index approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 256(2), pages 533-542.
    8. Juan Aparicio & Sergio Perelman & Daniel Santín, 2022. "Comparing the evolution of productivity and performance gaps in education systems through DEA: an application to Latin American countries," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1443-1477, April.
    9. Nerea Gómez-Fernández & Mauro Mediavilla, 2018. "Do information and communication technologies (ICT) improve educational outcomes? Evidence for Spain in PISA 2015," Working Papers 2018/20, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    10. Hall, Caroline & Lundin, Martin & Sibbmark, Kristina, 2019. "A laptop for every child? The impact of ICT on educational outcomes," Working Paper Series 2019:26, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    11. Eric Bettinger & Robert Fairlie & Anastasia Kapuza & Elena Kardanova & Prashant Loyalka & Andrey Zakharov, 2023. "Diminishing Marginal Returns to Computer‐Assisted Learning," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 552-570, March.
    12. Comi, Simona Lorena & Argentin, Gianluca & Gui, Marco & Origo, Federica & Pagani, Laura, 2017. "Is it the way they use it? Teachers, ICT and student achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 24-39.
    13. Robert W. Fairlie & Jonathan Robinson, 2013. "Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Home Computers on Academic Achievement among Schoolchildren," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(3), pages 211-240, July.
    14. Blimpo,Moussa Pouguinimpo & Gajigo,Ousman & Owusu,Solomon & Tomita,Ryoko & Xu,Yanbin, 2020. "Technology in the Classroom and Learning in Secondary Schools," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9288, The World Bank.
    15. Hall, Caroline & Lundin, Martin & Sibbmark, Kristina, 2021. "A laptop for every child? The impact of technology on human capital formation," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    16. Peter Bergman, 2020. "Nudging Technology Use: Descriptive and Experimental Evidence from School Information Systems," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 15(4), pages 623-647, Fall.
    17. Aparicio, Juan & Santin, Daniel, 2018. "A note on measuring group performance over time with pseudo-panels," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 267(1), pages 227-235.
    18. Bet, German & Cristia, Julián P. & Ibarrarán, Pablo, 2014. "The Effects of Shared School Technology Access on Students Digital Skills in Peru," IZA Discussion Papers 7954, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Afsharian, Mohsen & Ahn, Heinz & Harms, Sören Guntram, 2019. "Performance comparison of management groups under centralised management," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(3), pages 845-854.
    20. Cardim, Joana & Molina-Millán, Teresa & Vicente, Pedro C., 2023. "Can technology improve the classroom experience in primary education? An African experiment on a worldwide program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:9:y:2021:i:20:p:2600-:d:657493. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.