Validating technology acceptance in physical education across five Moroccan regions using hierarchical linear modelling

Background Empirical evidence on technology acceptance in physical education remains geographically concentrated in high-income, Western settings, with limited large-scale work in Global South contexts. Whether findings from urban convenience samples generalise across structurally diverse national contexts remains untested. Objective This study examined technology acceptance among Moroccan secondary students across five geographically and socioeconomically diverse regions using the Physical Education Technology Perceptions Scale (EPTEPS), a 24-item instrument grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model and Self-Determination Theory. Methods A national cross-sectional survey ( N = 2,456; aged 15–19; 57.3% male) employed stratified probability-proportionate-to-size cluster sampling across five Moroccan regions. Analyses included confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance testing, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and two-level hierarchical linear modelling. Results The prior-experience effect observed in the urban Casablanca subsample showed an approximately fivefold to tenfold reduction at national scale, consistent with a composition confound in single-site sampling. Between-region variance accounted for 17–24% of total score variance in unconditional models, and remained substantial (13–19%) after full covariate adjustment. The motivational–behavioural attitude gap was consistent across all five regions. Gender parity in perceptions was observed across all dimensions (all p > .05). Conclusions Regional structural context is strongly associated with technology acceptance in physical education, beyond individual experiential capital. Findings provide empirical grounding for equitable technology integration policies in Global South contexts and support the value of multi-site sampling in technology acceptance research.