Published Paper Details:

The quick adoption of digital tools in classrooms has sparked a lot of curiosity in how technology is changing education. This study looks at how technology might improve teaching and learning results in secondary schools in Cuttack, Odisha. Twenty secondary school teachers and sixty students from public and private institutions were given structured survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews as part of a qualitative study design. To find trends in technology use, student involvement, perceived academic performance, access and equity, and integration hurdles, data were thematically analysed. Results show that interactive digital tools and multimedia significantly improve student engagement and facilitate differentiated, self-paced learning, especially in science and math. However, ongoing obstacles that disproportionately harmed pupils attending government schools were infrastructure limitations, unequal access to devices and connectivity, inadequate teacher preparation, and student distraction. The study comes to the conclusion that technology works best when used in conjunction with traditional teaching rather than in its place and that its advantages depend on sufficient infrastructure, ongoing professional development for teachers, and support from equity-focused legislation. Future research directions and implications for educators, curriculum designers, and legislators are considered.