Teachers’ Perspectives on Digital Device Use and Pupils’ Socio-Emotional Development in Dodoma City Primary Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study with Demographic Contexts
Dino Leo Chipanhta and Zawadi Richard Juma
Faculty of Humanities and Education, Department of Education,
St John’s University of Tanzania
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7095-9655
Email: dinoleo9@gmail.com
Abstract: This paper explored teachers’ perspectives on digital device use and pupils’ socio-emotional development and classroom social dynamics in Dodoma City, Tanzania, alongside pupils’ demographic characteristics. Guided by bioecological and social learning theories, the study employed a concurrent parallel mixed-methods design in four primary schools. Eight class teachers, two from each school, were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews, while 160 pupils completed structured questionnaires. Teacher interviews were analysed thematically, and pupil demographic data were summarised using frequencies and percentages. Most pupils were aged 10–12 years (70.0%), female (56.3%), in Grades Six and Seven (88.1%), and living with both parents (63.8%). Teachers described computers as mainly used in structured school settings, while television and parents’ smartphones were common at home. They perceived visual and interactive educational content as supporting comprehension, participation, and engagement. Entertainment-oriented use, particularly gaming, raised concerns about concentration, face-to-face interaction, and classroom participation. Teachers associated these contrasting experiences with the purpose, content, intensity, context, and supervision of use. The demographic findings contextualised teachers’ accounts but did not establish associations between pupil characteristics and socio-emotional outcomes. The paper concludes that teachers’ perspectives favour purposeful, supervised digital learning balanced with direct social interaction. It recommends teacher development in digital pedagogy and stronger school–home coordination involving parents and guardians across different household arrangements.
