Serial Mediation Effects of Perceived Usefulness and Attitude in Sustainable Mobile Learning: Extending the Technology Acceptance Model in Higher Education

The sustainability of mobile learning has emerged as a critical concern in higher education, particularly in developing countries where technological adoption does not always translate into long-term usage. While prior studies have predominantly examined initial behavioral intention, limited research has explored the determinants of sustained mobile learning engagement. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study develops and tests an integrative framework to examine how perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness influence sustainable mobile learning use through personal attitude and sequential mediation mechanisms. Data were collected from undergraduate students enrolled in Bangladeshi universities, and the proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that perceived ease of use significantly enhances perceived usefulness and personal attitude, which in turn positively influence sustainable use. Perceived usefulness and personal attitude both function as significant mediators in the relationship between ease of use and sustainability. Moreover, a serial mediation pathway linking ease of use to sustainable use via perceived usefulness and personal attitude was supported, demonstrating the cumulative cognitive and affective processes underlying sustained engagement. These results extend TAM by shifting the analytical focus from short-term adoption to long-term sustainability outcomes within a developing-country context. The study contributes theoretically by validating an integrated mediation framework and, practically, by offering policy-relevant insights for universities and other educational stakeholders seeking to promote durable mobile learning ecosystems. Implications for sustainable digital transformation in higher education are discussed.