Children's computer use time at school in basic education: Perspectives of teachers and education stakeholders

This study examines the daily computer use time among K–12 learners in Rwandan schools and its impact on learning outcomes, within the broader context of integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). Providing computers to both teachers and students has become a key strategy in many national ICT in education policies. While ICT holds significant potential to improve access, equity, and quality in education, inappropriate or unstructured computer use by children, particularly in low-resource environments, can undermine learning benefits. The study employs a convergence mixed-method design to collect and analyze data from a diverse sample of 859 teachers, 55 professionals from the Rwanda Education Board (REB), and 22 education development partners. It aims to assess how computers are currently used in schools and explores stakeholders' perceptions regarding the optimal daily computer use time for learners at different age levels. Findings suggest a strong consensus that computer use has a significant influence on learning outcomes across cognitive domains, as outlined in Bloom's taxonomy. The study highlights the need for age-specific guidelines to effectively structure computer use. It also proposes a simplified method for calculating the appropriate computer-to-student ratio, supporting the efficient use of limited digital resources in Rwandan schools. These insights are crucial for advancing the implementation of the competence-based curriculum (CBC). The study further recommends that future research should explore causal relationships and compare practices across different country contexts, especially between low-resource settings and more developed educational systems.