FROM CHALKBOARDS TO SMART BOARDS: EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF ICT TOOLS ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

This paper examines how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools (i.e., the change in the use of traditional chalkboards to interactive Smart boards) can be used to transform and improve student engagement behaviour in secondary schools. With the help of the mixed methods methodology in three urban schools within Pakistan, the study assesses behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement using surveys, classroom observations, grades, and teacher interviews. The results indicate a significant improvement in the classroom that was completely integrated with ICT tools, compared to the traditional classroom and the partially integrated classroom in regard to student involvement, attentiveness, and academic performance. Smart boards and other technologies have been discovered to support interactive and multimodal learning experiences that are compatible with digital literacy and students' learning styles. Even though technical obstacles like frequent power cuts, inadequate training still exist, the evidence is overwhelming that when strategically put in place and coupled with the support of teachers, that ICTs can significantly increase engagement and learning outcomes. The results are important pieces of information to help teachers, administrators, and curriculum developers transform pedagogy, in the event of adoption of modern concepts of education in inclusivity and 21st-century education.

Keywords: ICT in education, student engagement, Smart boards, classroom technology, digital pedagogy, interactive learning, educational innovation, Pakistan education system.