Exploring the use of technology among newly arrived children in Hong Kong: from an e-sports and cultural capital perspective

Based on Bourdieu’s cultural capital theory, our study examined the engagement of newly arrived children (NAC) with ICT and e-sports both at home and in school in the context of Hong Kong. Our in-depth case study of a Hong Kong secondary school revealed that the selected NAC typically came from disadvantaged school and immigrant family backgrounds. They had limited access to technology and little parental mediation at home. The results also showed that as these NAC excessively used ICT at home for multiplayer online games, they became active e-sports players with good ICT skills. These students created an e-sports culture in the school, which was supported by their teachers and the principal. Contrary to their parents’ conservative and negative attitude towards a career in e-sports or the ICT industry, the principal and teachers viewed e-sports as an alternative way for their students to accumulate capital and provide them with opportunities for upward social mobility. The findings demonstrate the importance of education in bridging the digital divide of NAC and helping them accumulate the digital dimension of cultural capital.