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

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

Thilangiwi Edward Thikhathali & Christo Van der Westhuizen

Issue: Vol. 7 No.9 2026 Article 21 pp.2768 – 2784
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267921 Published online 28th October 2026

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ABSTRACT

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.

Keywords: Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Educational Digital Platforms, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, Behavioural Intention

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Dr Thilangiwi Edward Thikhathali serves as a Senior Lecturer in Academic and Computer Literacy within the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education at the University of Limpopo, South Africa. He possesses a Doctorate in ICT in Education from the University of Johannesburg. His scholarly pursuits encompass educational technology, digital learning, ICT integration in pedagogy, technology adoption, and the utilization of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), with a focus on performance expectancy and effort expectancy to comprehend technology adoption and utilization in educational settings.

Christo Van der Westhuizen, PhD, is currently a Professor in Learning Technologies in the Department of Sciences and Technology Education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Johannesburg. He was employed by the North-West University Faculty of Education Sciences of the Potchefstroom Campus for 21 years, also the sub-area leader for blended learning in the research unit for self-directed learning, and subject chair for Geography Education for several years. He has been working in the field of teacher education for the past 20 years, and his research focus is the effective integration of ICT’s (including geospatial technologies) in blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning. He is an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Geography in Higher Education (JGHE).

TO CITE ARTICLE

Thikhathali, Thilangiwi Edward, and Christo Van der Westhuizen. “Learners’ adoption of the Gauteng Department of Education’s Educational Digital Platform: A UTAUT analysis of performance and effort expectancy.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.9 (2026): 2768 – 2784. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267921