Assessing learners’ attitudes toward meme-based learning through the technology acceptance model

Introduction In an era when learners are immersed in a fast-evolving digital culture, education should adopt practices that resonate with learners' characteristics. There is a growing need to examine how emerging tools can support the current generation's learning styles. In this context, internet memes offer a potentially engaging resource for language learning. This study investigates learners' acceptance of meme-based learning in English language education by applying an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Methods A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected from 238 undergraduate ESL learners through a structured questionnaire. The instrument assessed five constructs: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude towards use, behavioural intention, and positive learning experience. Reliability and regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 25 to examine the proposed relationships among these constructs. Results The findings indicate that all hypothesised relationships are statistically significant. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness emerge as significant predictors of learners' attitudes towards meme-based learning. Attitude is significantly associated with behavioural intention, which, in turn, significantly predicts positive learning experience. The findings further indicate that learners perceive memes as meaningful learning resources that facilitate engagement and interaction while requiring relatively less mental effort. Discussion The findings highlight the potential of memes as engaging resources in English language education and support the application of an extended TAM in informal, socially driven learning contexts. By extending the model beyond behavioural intention to incorporate positive learning experience, the study offers a broader perspective on technology acceptance and provides pedagogical implications for integrating meme-based practices into language classrooms.