Technology Acceptance and Behavioural Patterns of Educational App Use Among Indian Engineering Students: An Empirical Study

The increasing availability of educational mobile applications has significantly influenced learning experiences (Al Emran, 2024), especially for students in engineering disciplines. To optimise the use of such technologies in academic contexts, it is important to understand how learners engage with these tools and the behavioural factors that shape their usage. This study examines educational app adoption among Indian engineering students, focusing on usage habits, perceived usefulness, and possible signs of overuse. A quantitative online survey was administered to collect demographic information and responses to established measurement scales, including the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989) (Young, 1998), Internet Addiction Test (IAT) (Davis, 1989) (Young, 1998), and a culturally adapted stress scale. The dataset was analysed using Cronbach’s alpha for reliability testing, along with correlation and group comparison analyses. The results indicate good internal consistency for TAM and the Indian Context scales (α = 0.75 and 0.80) and moderate reliability for the IAT (α = 0.33). No significant associations were observed between app usage time and other scale scores, and demographic factors such as gender and year of study showed no meaningful differences. These findings suggest that while students display moderate acceptance of educational apps, their usage remains largely healthy and non-addictive. Nonetheless, cultural and infrastructural constraints continue to influence engagement levels, offering insights for educators and developers seeking to enhance technology-supported learning.