RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNIFIED THEORY OF ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY (UTAUT) CONSTRUCTS AND DIGITAL LITERACY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Digital literacy is widely treated as a core competency in higher education, yet little is known about how students' perceptions of technology relate to it. This study examined the relationship between the constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and digital literacy among university students enrolled in education programs. A quantitative, correlational design was used. Data were collected from 1,098 undergraduate students (91.5% of 1,200 questionnaires distributed) at three universities in Lahore District, Pakistan, who were selected through purposive and convenience sampling. The instrument had a reliability coefficient of 0.82. Pearson correlation showed a moderate positive relationship between the UTAUT constructs overall and digital literacy (r = 0.499, p < 0.001). Performance expectancy (r = 0.403) and effort expectancy (r = 0.397) showed moderate correlations with digital literacy, while social influence (r = 0.338) and facilitating conditions (r = 0.269) showed weaker ones; all four were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Students who perceive digital tools as useful and easy to use therefore tend to report higher digital literacy, and peer support and institutional resources appear to matter somewhat less. Teacher education programs may benefit from combining digital skills training with attention to how students perceive technology. The study has clear limits: it covered three universities in one district, it measured perceived rather than performance-based digital literacy, and its correlational design does not allow causal conclusions.