Annotated bibliography
My research on how technology is changing life in Colombia.
10 sources · 6 scholarly · 3 organizational · 1 documentary
01 · Scholarly · 2021
Internet access and school
Barrios Aguirre, F., Forero, D. A., Castellanos Saavedra, M. P., & Mora Malagón, S. Y. (2021). The impact of computer and internet at home on academic results of the Saber 11 national exam in Colombia. SAGE Open, 11(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211040810
Summary
This study looks at home computers and internet access in Colombia. It uses exam data from over 1.5 million students between 2017 and 2019. The clearest positive results were in English. Results varied in other subjects, so having technology did not mean better results across the board.
Why I trust it
The authors are university researchers. Their article was reviewed by other researchers before publication in SAGE Open. The large dataset is useful. One limit is that it does not explain exactly how students used their technology.
Why it matters to my project
This helps me understand the connection between internet access and school. Having a computer is only part of it. What students do with it matters too.
02 · Scholarly · 2023
How students use digital banking
Bermeo-Giraldo, M. C., Valencia-Arias, A., Palacios-Moya, L., & Valencia, J. (2023). Adoption of fintech services in young students: Empirical approach from a developing country. Economies, 11(9), Article 226. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies11090226
Summary
The researchers surveyed 124 university students in Medellín about financial technology. They looked at financial knowledge, digital skills and social influence. Financial education and social influence were linked to how students understood and valued these services. Many students used fintech without knowing the term.
Why I trust it
This is a peer reviewed article in Economies. The authors explain their survey and its limits. The sample is small and only includes volunteers from one city. It does not represent everyone in Colombia.
Why it matters to my project
This is something I can relate to as a college student. It shows how technology changes everyday habits. It also makes me think about what people should understand before trusting an app with their money.
03 · Organizational · 2025
Colombia’s plans for AI
Consejo Nacional de Política Económica y Social. (2025). Política nacional de inteligencia artificial [National artificial intelligence policy] (Documento CONPES 4144). Departamento Nacional de Planeación. Read the report
Summary
This document explains Colombia’s national plan for artificial intelligence. It covers skills, infrastructure, research and rules for using AI responsibly. It assigns work to government institutions from 2025 to 2030. It also discusses risks that come with using AI more widely.
Why I trust it
This is the government’s actual policy document. The copy is available through UNESCO’s SITEAL archive. It is a reliable source for what the government plans to do. It does not prove that those plans have happened.
Why it matters to my project
This gives me something specific for the future part of my question. I can compare the plan with the access and security problems in my other sources. That is more useful than guessing what AI might change.
04 · Scholarly · 2024
Keeping people safe online
Díaz Acevedo, M., & Cremades Guisado, Á. (2024). Revisión del estado actual de la ciberseguridad en Colombia [Review of the current state of cybersecurity in Colombia]. Estudios en Seguridad y Defensa, 19(38), 179–203. https://doi.org/10.25062/1900-8325.1999
Summary
This article looks at Colombia’s cybersecurity policies from 2011, 2016 and 2020. It also covers threats during the pandemic. The authors found that technical capabilities improved faster than the way organizations managed security. They argue that better coordination is needed to make those improvements work.
Why I trust it
The authors are researchers at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija. The article appears in a scholarly security journal and uses identifiable policy documents. It focuses on institutions, so it does not cover every person’s experience online. It describes the situation as of 2024.
Why it matters to my project
This connects directly to my work in cybersecurity. Good tools are important, but people also need to know how to use them together. It helps me explain why training and coordination matter.
05 · Scholarly · 2025
The cost of getting connected
Hidalgo, J., & Sovinsky, M. (2025). Subsidies, speed and switching? Impacts of an internet subsidy in Colombia. Review of Industrial Organization, 66(4), 419–438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11151-025-10014-4
Summary
This study looks at an internet subsidy for households with lower incomes in Colombia. The researchers used provider data and an economic model to estimate how people changed plans. Their model suggests that many people who switched chose slower plans. Lower prices did not always mean better connections.
Why I trust it
This article was peer reviewed for the Review of Industrial Organization. It uses data from Colombia’s communications regulator. The estimates depend on the model’s assumptions. The data is from 2013 and 2014, so it does not tell me today’s internet speeds.
Why it matters to my project
This shows me why access is about more than having a connection. Price and quality both matter. A cheap plan may still be hard to use for school or work.
06 · Scholarly · 2021
Where you live matters
Mendoza-Lozano, F. A., Quintero-Peña, J. W., & García-Rodríguez, J. F. (2021). The digital divide between high school students in Colombia. Telecommunications Policy, 45(10), Article 102226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2021.102226
Summary
This study tracks computer and internet access among Colombian high school students. It uses Saber 11 data from 2009 to 2018. Access improved during that time, but gaps remained in rural areas. The authors connect these gaps to household circumstances and where students live.
Why I trust it
This is a peer reviewed article in Telecommunications Policy. It uses a national exam dataset. It only covers students near the end of high school. The older data also means it cannot describe access today.
Why it matters to my project
This reminds me that technology does not reach everyone in the same way. Life in Bogotá or Medellín is not the same as life in a smaller community. I need to consider those differences when talking about Colombia.
Publisher abstract available; full text may require library access.
07 · Organizational · 2026
How Colombia’s internet is improving
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2026). OECD digital connectivity review of Colombia. https://doi.org/10.1787/bff5d25a-en
Summary
This report looks at Colombia’s internet infrastructure and communications policies. It describes progress in fiber networks, mobile broadband and affordability over the previous decade. It also finds gaps between regions and problems with mobile network performance. The report suggests changes that could help more people get useful connections.
Why I trust it
The OECD is an international organization with researchers who study telecommunications. Its report uses country data and comparisons. It was published in 2026, though some of its figures come from earlier years. Its recommendations reflect a policy perspective.
Why it matters to my project
This gives me a more recent view alongside the older studies. I can see where Colombia has made progress and where problems remain. It helps keep the project from focusing only on what is going wrong.
08 · Scholarly · 2021
Technology and small businesses
Parra-Sánchez, D. T., Talero-Sarmiento, L. H., & Guerrero, C. D. (2021). Assessment of ICT policies for digital transformation in Colombia: Technology readiness for IoT adoption in SMEs in the trading sector. Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance, 23(4), 412–431. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPRG-09-2020-0120
Summary
This study looks at technology policies and smaller businesses in Colombia’s trading sector. It uses the technology section of the Annual Trade Survey from 2017 and 2018. The authors examine why businesses accept or reject digital applications. They explain why businesses need to be ready to use connected devices and online commerce.
Why I trust it
Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga identifies this as a peer reviewed article. The researchers use an established business survey. The study covers a short period. That limits what it can tell me about lasting policy effects.
Why it matters to my project
This helps me look beyond big tech companies. Small businesses are part of the story too. Buying new tools only helps if a business has the skills and support to use them.
University research record
University abstract available; publisher full text may require library access.
09 · Organizational · 2023
The bigger picture
World Bank. (2023). Digital economy for Latin America and the Caribbean: Country diagnostic: Colombia (Report No. AUS0003147). Read the report
Summary
This report looks at six parts of Colombia’s digital economy. These include infrastructure, platforms, financial services, businesses, skills and trust. It describes growth in digital services alongside uneven access and use. It suggests ways to help more people and businesses benefit.
Why I trust it
The World Bank explains its research approach and cites its evidence. That makes the report useful for national context. It has a development policy perspective and was published in 2023. I compare it with newer research and local experiences.
Why it matters to my project
This helps me see how the topics in my project connect. Internet access, skills and security all affect what people can do online. It also shows why trust matters to the digital economy.