Learners’ adoption of the Gauteng Department of Education’s Educational Digital Platform: A UTAUT analysis of performance and effort expectancy

Although significant investment has been made towards educational technologies across South African schools, these tools remain underutilised by learners, most notably in the under-resourced educational settings. The study, therefore, investigates the behavioural intentions of Grade 10 learners towards the Educational Digital Platform initiated by the Gauteng Department of Education. It focuses on the no-fee-paying schools within the Further Education and Training phase. Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the study examined how learners’ behavioural intentions to use the Educational Digital Platform are influenced by the performance expectancy and effort expectancy. To evaluate the factors that influence technological adoption and behavioural intention, a quantitative technique was employed, utilising data from Grade 10 learners. The results show that in addition to access to digital resources, learners’ engagement with the educational digital platform is influenced by contextual, perceptual, and motivational aspects that drive the platform adoption. The study recommends optimising the perceived utility of the EDP through curriculum-aligned educational resources and pedagogical integration, while strengthening usability through intuitive platform design. This study adds to the expanding body of knowledge on adopting educational technology in secondary schools by placing the perspectives of learners at the forefront. It also offers evidence that policymakers and practitioners can use to improve fair and meaningful use of digital learning platforms in educational settings with minimal resources.