1) The study examined the use of tablets among secondary school children in India to identify the purposes of use, any gender disparities, and student experiences incorporating tablets into the curriculum. 2) Most students used tablets to read e-textbooks, stories, and for entertainment, with no significant differences found between boys and girls. 3) Students reported that tablets made subjects and content easier to understand and improved their study habits and exam results. However, some teachers were concerned that students wasted time playing games instead of studying.

1. Use of Tablets among
the Secondary School
Children
Dr. Jyoti Bhabal
Asst. Professor
SHPT School of Library Science
SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, India
jyotibhabal@gmail.com

2. Digital India Programme
Project E-Kranti
1) All schools connected with broadband
2) Free Wi-Fi in all schools
3) Digital Literacy Programmes
4) Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC)
• Time Management
• Uniqueness of learning
• Fun learning
• Cost effectiveness
• Eco-friendly Equality of Education

3. Literature Review
The positive and negative
dimensions of tablet PCs in
school education
Discussed issues
like lack of
knowledge of
technology, users’
attitudes and
behavior were the
major concern in
these studies
No difference
between the
attitudes of male
and female
students toward
tablet PCs
Teachers’ resistance to
change in their teaching
strategies and methods to
utilize this educational
technology in an effective
manner
The limited access of internet,
insufficient e-content

4. Objectives of the study
• To identify the different purposes of use of
tablet among school students
• To find gender disparity among the school
children while using tablets
• To understand the students’ experiences on
incorporation of tablet technology in the
curriculum.

5. Research Methodology
• Population
– 8th Standard Students- Vidya Vikas Mandal Vidyalaya,
Mumbai
– Marathi Medium School
• Tool
– Structured Questionnaire & Discussion
• Analysis
– Percentages, Mann-Whitney U Test

6. 8th Standard Students of
VVMV School

7. Data Analysis and Findings
Study includes 42 Boys & 41 Girls as respondents
• Training to use the New Technology
The training on how to use Tablet was given to the
students who ranked in the first ten in their Seventh Std.
annual examination. These students learnt themselves
and then they taught other students about operations and
use of tablet.

8. Calculated Ranks for the Different Purposes of Use of Tablet
236
137
96
129
113
125
0
50
100
150
200
250
To Read e-Textbooks
To Read Stories
To Find Online
Information
To Play Games
To Use Apps
For Entertainment
To Read
e-Textbooks
To Read
Stories
To find Online
Information
To Play
Games To Use Apps
For
Entertainment
Always 72 9 1 5 3 1
Sometimes 9 36 11 36 24 40
Never 2 38 71 42 56 42
Total 83 83 83 83 83 83

9. Calculated Ranks for Time Spend on the Use of Tablets for
the Different Purposes
293
140
97
137
115
127
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
To Read e-Textbooks
To Read Stories
To Find Online
Information
To Play Games
To Use Apps
To Read
e-Textbooks
To Read
Stories
To Find Online
Information
To Play
Games
To Use
Apps
For
Entertainment
More than one hour 60 5 1 3 2 0
About an hour 7 8 3 6 0 3
About half an hour 16 26 5 33 26 38
lesss than 15 mintues 0 44 74 41 55 42
Total 83 83 83 83 83 83

10. Mann-Whitney U Test for Different Purposes of Tablet Use
Purposes of Tablet Use Z value U Value P Value Level of
Significance
Significances
Read e-Textbooks 0.6239 792 0.53526 p≤ 0.05 Not
Significant
Read Stories 1.0429 746 0.29834 p≤ 0.05 Not
Significant
Find Online Information 0.0501 855 0.96012 p≤ 0.05 Not
Significant
Play Games 0.0046 860 1 p≤ 0.05 Not
Significant
Use Apps 0.9063 761 0.36282. p≤ 0.05 Not
Significant
Other Entertainment -1.8626 656 0.06288 p≤ 0.05 Not
Significant

11. Users’ Experiences
Interesting device Easy to use
The subject content became
easy to understand
Study habit cultivated and
has shown improvements
in the examination result
Students had shown
interest and developed
vocabulary, communication
skills,
Wanted to use tablet in the
next years also
The teachers gave mixed
opinions
Some teachers appreciated
the use of technology in
study and teaching.
Some teachers complained
that students waste their
time in playing games on
tablets
Family members used
tablets for non-academic
purposes.
Students changed the
school codes
Distracted from the study
Students demanded Wi-Fi
connection to use online
information.
The weight of school bag is
not much reduced
Teachers need to explore
this technology and the
effective use it in teaching-
learning.

12. Conclusion
• IT literacy as well as literacy on online information is
needed for students as well as for teachers.
• Students need to be monitored to make good use to tablet.
• Restrictions on use of technology might keep us outdated
and behind.
• The Wi-Fi provisions might be introduced for a limited
period and the results may be measured.
• The school will definitely evaluate the effectiveness of
tablet use and will take necessary actions to make ‘Digital
India’.