Digital transformation in vocational education has intensified the need to understand how students engage with technology and regulate their own learning. This study examines how selected technology acceptance model (TAM) constructs – perceived usefulness (PU), behavioral intention to use (BIU) and actual system usage (ASU) – relate to self-regulated learning (SRL), with interest in learning (IL) as a mediating mechanism in a vocational education context. Using survey data from 409 Indonesian vocational school students enrolled in Business and Management programs and analyzed through structural equation modeling–partial least squares (SEM–PLS), the findings reveal a differentiated pattern of relationships. BIU and ASU are positively associated with SRL, while PU shows a negative direct association. However, all three constructs demonstrate positive indirect effects on SRL through IL, highlighting the importance of affective–motivational pathways in technology-supported learning. These results suggest that PU alone does not consistently translate into stronger learning regulation, whereas intention and actual engagement play more direct roles. By positioning IL as a central mediator, this study offers a more nuanced understanding of how technology acceptance operates in vocational settings. The findings contribute to the refinement of TAM by integrating motivational mechanisms and provide practical insights for designing engaging, interest-driven digital learning environments that support students’ SRL.
Sutirman et al. (Fri,) studied this question.