An Examination of Social Influence and ICT Use Among Grade 10 Learners in South African Secondary Schools

Despite the significant investments in information and communication technology (ICT) within South African schools, Grade 10 students persist in underutilising digital learning tools, hence constraining engagement and the cultivation of digital competences. This quantitative study investigates the influence of social factors, specifically peers and authority figures, on ICT usage among 1,483 Grade 10 students from nine purposively sampled secondary schools. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and processed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that authoritative people have a greater perceived impact on the use of ICT (M = 4.42) compared to peers (M= 2.89). The Pearson correlation analysis indicated a statistically significant, moderately positive association between social impact and learners’ propensity to utilise ICT (r = .308, p < .001). The study advocates for improving teacher and family support, promoting structured peer modelling, and integrating guided digital learning methodologies into classroom instruction to facilitate ICT adoption. These findings inform educational policy and practice to improve significant ICT integration among Grade 10 students in underdeveloped countries. The study addresses a gap in the literature by presenting learner-level evidence about the influence of significant others on ICT utilisation in South African secondary schools. It broadens the scope of technology acceptance research beyond its conventional emphasis on higher education and organisational contexts. The findings improve our understanding of the social aspects that affect the adoption of ICTs in educational systems in developing countries.