IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT’S ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION, AT SECONDARY LEVEL

Abstract

The objective of this study is to observe the influences of educational technology in increasing secondary school student's engagement in learning as well as student motivation. The methods were carried out by a mixed method approach consisting of quantitative surveys and qualitative investigation in the form of interviews that together provided comprehensive analysis. The use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs), tablets, and online learning platforms for engagement and motivation was measured through Likert-scale items for 200 students and 20 teachers through a survey. Qualitative insights were then gathered through in depth interviews with teachers to complement the quantitative data. The conclusion is that the use of educational technology had a great impact on raising students’ engagement and motivation

levels, with the greatest impact registered in interactive whiteboards and online platforms. While opportunities to integrate technology like cloud technology, which demands teacher guidance and may prove distracting for a student, were also outlined.