Educational Technology's Impact on Formal Curriculum in Rural Ethiopian Schools: A Longitudinal Study

Rural Ethiopian schools face challenges in integrating modern educational technology into formal curricula to enhance student learning outcomes. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys (n=1200 students) and qualitative observations was employed to assess changes in technological integration and student engagement. Significant improvements were noted in computational thinking scores from baseline assessments, with a mean increase of 15% over the study period among participating schools. The longitudinal study demonstrated that targeted educational technology interventions can positively influence formal curriculum delivery and student academic performance in rural Ethiopian settings. School administrators should prioritise ongoing professional development for teachers to effectively utilise technological tools within their curricula, while policymakers could consider funding mechanisms to support technological infrastructure upgrades. Educational Technology, Rural Schools, Curriculum Implementation, Computational Thinking, Ethiopia