Understanding pedagogical and relational dimensions of laptop use in Abu Dhabi schools

Despite growing global investments in one-to-one laptop programs, the successful integration of digital technology in schools remains highly uneven, particularly in under-researched regions like the Gulf. This qualitative case study investigates how middle school students and teachers in Abu Dhabi experience the introduction of laptops through the national Alef platform. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with six teachers and six students across two public schools, the study explores key sociotechnical and emotional dimensions of technology adoption. The findings reveal significant gaps in structured training, especially for students—technical malfunctions in digital infrastructure (e.g., LMS failures), and gendered disparities in access to support. While students reported greater self-confidence and motivation when using laptops at home, challenges such as over-competitiveness, digital fatigue, and parental skepticism tempered these benefits. Teachers, meanwhile, described shifting professional roles, uneven digital readiness, and evolving classroom relationships. By highlighting the contextual, emotional, and relational factors shaping ed-tech uptake, this study contributes to more nuanced, equity-oriented approaches to digital reform in education.