Exploring Mobile Learning Adoption in Higher Education: A UTAUT2-Based Study with Technostress and Exhaustion as Mediators in Student Engagement

The primary objective of this study is to examine factors that influence Mobile Learning adoption and effectiveness in the case of higher education, underpinned by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) model. The study was conducted at some of the top Saudi universities. A survey method was used in this study, and the questionnaire includes 12 factors, which include enjoyment, hedonic motivation, and performance expectancy, among others, whose relationships with behavioral intention towards using m-learning and in turn, its actual use, were investigated. Additionally, two mediating factors, namely technostress and exhaustion, were included to examine the effects of students’ engagement with m-learning. The questionnaire was distributed to 500 undergraduate students, and 264 replied. Based on the findings, the traditional UTAUT2 factors had significant effects on students’ intention and use behaviors, which were mediated by technostress and exhaustion. The findings indicated that the effective management of mediators is important to improve student engagement in m-learning and that m-learning strategies can be developed through the information provided. This study validated the UTAUT2 model in the case of m-learning, with a 70% success rate in predicting IT adoption, which exceeded other models. Through the study findings, educators and policymakers can find ways to optimize m-learning platforms. Furthermore, it is recommended that focus is placed on the long-term effects of technostress and exhaustion on the students’ adoption of and engagement with m-learning.