Unveiling academic performance through digital technology engagement: UTAUT2 insights from post-pandemic Saudi undergraduate students

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of digital technologies in higher education, reshaping learning environments and creating new avenues for student engagement. This study investigates the impact of digital technology engagement on the academic performance of Saudi Arabian undergraduates (n = 527), applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the research identifies technology enjoyment (hedonic motivation), learning autonomy (learning value), and learning effectiveness (performance expectancy) as key drivers of student engagement, which strongly predicts academic performance. Conversely, effort expectancy and habit had no significant influence, highlighting the greater importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Notably, student engagement mediates the relationship between academic and technology-related performance, clarifying the pathway through which digital engagement translates into improved academic achievement. These findings underscore the transformative potential of digital technologies in enhancing student autonomy, enjoyment, and learning effectiveness. Practical implications inform the strategies that can be applied by educators and policymakers to foster robust engagement by means of digital tools. On the other hand, the theoretical implications of the findings advance our understanding of the role of technology adoption in determining academic outcomes. The findings and the associated theoretical and practical implications have been explained in the paper.