Unpacking The Benefits and Challenges in Utilization of Laptops in Grade 7 TLE Curriculum

Abstract The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences of grade 7 students in the utilization of laptops in the implementation of the TLE 7 curriculum at Sto Niño High School, Tanjay City Division, school year 2024-2025. The study employed a purposive random sampling technique where seven Grade 7 students were qualified based on the selection criteria made by the researchers. Moreover, phenomenology was used as a methodical approach in the study. The gathering of data was situated at the school library at the participants’ preference and convenience. An audio recording was ethically practiced during the interview for credibility purposes of the data. Thematic analysis was utilized to generate codes and themes. Upon a rigorous analysis, three major themes emerged. These are first-hand experiences, technical supervision, and worthwhile experiences. Students' first-hand experiences comprise varied feelings such as inhibitions, fear, worries, and excitement at the same time in using laptops. As a result, the teacher’s guidance played a significant role in teaching and implementing the TLE 7 curriculum. Despite the challenges and difficulties, they faced and the help of the teacher, participants had worthwhile experiences such as being motivated and active in classroom sessions where they interacted and presented their works creatively. Thus, the study suggests that in the utilization of laptops and other mediated technology tools, teachers should be equipped with the skills and knowledge in terms of content, pedagogy, and technology as emphasized in the framework of TPACK to effectively deliver the learning objectives of the curriculum. Keywords: Qualitative research; phenomenology; lived experiences of grade 7 students in utilization of laptops in TLE 7; benefits of using laptops