A Multilevel Modeling Analysis of Household Digital Technology and Senior High School Students’ English Achievement in Western China: The Moderating Role of Urban-Rural Differences

This study investigates the impact of household digital technology (HDT)—including access to mobile phones, computers, and the internet—on students’ English language performance in senior high schools in Western China. Drawing upon the educational production function framework and using data from over 8,000 students and 100 teachers, we apply multilevel modeling techniques to account for nested data structures at the school and teacher levels. A principal component analysis (PCA) approach was used to construct a composite HDT index, capturing the key dimensions of digital access at home. Results indicate that household digital technology is significantly associated with English achievement, though its effect varies across geographic contexts. Specifically, the negative association between HDT and English scores is more pronounced among urban students, whereas rural students benefit moderately from increased digital access. These findings highlight the importance of contextualizing digital learning policies within local educational environments and addressing the persistent urban–rural digital divide. The study contributes to the growing literature on digital equity and second language acquisition by offering new empirical evidence from a relatively underexplored region in China.