Perceptual drivers of undergraduate students' engagement in digitally-enabled transformative sustainability education in Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55056/etq.1116Keywords:
transformative sustainability education, digital tools, digital pedagogy, educational engagement, university students, technology acceptanceAbstract
This quantitative cross-sectional survey examined undergraduate students' perceptions and engagement in digitally-enabled transformative sustainability education (TSE) in a university context in Tanzania. It explored the influence of perceptual factors - the perceived usefulness, relevance, and accessibility of digital tools - on students' cognitive, behavioural, and emotional engagement in TSE. Grounded in the technology acceptance model and educational engagement theory, data were collected from 699 students using a non-probabilistic sampling approach and analysed with descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Perceived usefulness (M=4.06) and perceived relevance (M=4.01) were the most highly rated factors, while perceived accessibility (M=3.93) received slightly lower ratings, pointing to persistent challenges in digital facilitating conditions. Correlation analyses revealed moderately strong and significant relationships among the perceptual factors (r=0.45-0.55, p<.0001), the strongest being between perceived relevance and perceived usefulness (r=0.55), which underscores their interdependence in shaping technology adoption for TSE. Students' engagement was generally high (M=3.92), with cognitive (M=4.03) and emotional (M=4.04) engagement surpassing behavioural engagement (M=3.71) and so revealing a participation gap. The engagement domains were moderately correlated (r=0.48-0.56, p<.0001), indicating distinct yet interconnected constructs. Multiple regression identified perceived accessibility as the strongest predictor of engagement (B=0.270, p<.0001), followed by perceived usefulness (B=0.253, p<.0001) and perceived relevance (B=0.218, p<.0001). The findings emphasise the interplay of perceptual factors in fostering engagement in TSE, with accessibility emerging as a critical driver despite its lower rating. To advance TSE, the study recommends strengthening digital infrastructure and improving access to sustainability-related digital resources to close behavioural engagement gaps and support the United Nations 2030 Agenda in resource-constrained contexts.
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Accepted 2026-03-24
Published 2026-06-20
