Leaving No Students Behind? Digital Capital, Belonging, and Social Inequalities in Philippine Universities Amidst the Pandemic

Date of Award

7-1-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology

First Advisor

Czarina A. Saloma-Akpedonu, Dr. rer. soc.

Abstract

This study examines social inequalities in Philippine universities that were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed methods design using a national sample of 677 university students for the quantitative approach and 30 informants for the qualitative component was utilized to measure and describe the mediating role of digital capital on social inequalities associated with belonging. In the quantitative approach, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to determine direct and indirect impacts. The qualitative section utilized grounded theory as an analytical approach. The quantitative and qualitative analysis documented differences in the accumulation of digital capital and belonging based on sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., gender, age, type of residence, and family income), educational characteristics (i.e., type of university, year in the university, and excellence criterion), and social environment (i.e., home environment and school infrastructure) of university students. The structural equation model revealed that the type of residence, family income, excellence criterion, and social environment are significant determinants of digital capital. The model also showed that belonging is significantly predicted by age, family income, social environment, and digital capital. Lastly, the findings indicated that the impacts of type of residence, family income, excellence criterion, and social environment on belonging are significantly mediated by digital capital. Thus, digital capital enhances the sense of belonging to and together in university spaces for specific groups, but there are social inequalities in the accumulation of digital capital and belonging among students in Philippine universities.

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