E-GADGET UTILIZATION, MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS: EVIDENCE FROM CUYAPO WEST DISTRICT

The study examined the e-gadget management practices of Senior High School students in the Cuyapo West District. It employed a descriptive research design using purposive sampling to gather data from both teachers and students. To analyze the data, statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, average weighted mean, t-test for independent variables, Pearson correlation, Spearman rank correlation, point-biserial correlation, and contingency coefficient were utilized. The results revealed that the respondents were predominantly female, aged 21–40, married, and with master’s units. Moreover, the majority of both student and teacher respondents reported using electronic gadgets. Students were found to sometimes use e-gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops/netbooks, tablets, earphones/headsets, and iPhones/iPads, while desktop computers were reportedly never used in classroom activities. In contrast, teacher respondents always used e-gadgets such as mobile phones and laptops, sometimes used desktop computers and iPhones/iPads, and never used tablets and earphones/headsets in classroom settings. Furthermore, the findings indicated that respondents demonstrated management skills in the utilization of e-gadgets among Grade 11 students. Teachers consistently perceived e-gadgets as always beneficial in the teaching-learning process, whereas students perceived them as only sometimes beneficial. Based on these findings, the study recommends the following: (a) the conduct of seminars on the effective utilization of e-gadgets in classroom settings; (b) the promotion of proper and responsible use of e-gadgets among both teachers and students; and (c) the conduct of further studies on the utilization of other technological tools such as projectors, televisions, and related devices.