An Extended UTAUT Study of Information and Communication Technology Adoption in Higher Education

Abstract

This research utilises an extended UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) framework that explores the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in higher education. With a focus on student engagement in Oman, the research integrates trust as a novel construct and examines the role of gender as a moderator among traditional UTAUT variables. This extension addresses gaps in the literature regarding trust and demographic influences in ICT adoption. Using a quantitative approach and robust statistical techniques, the findings reveal that effort expectancy (EE), performance expectancy (PE), facilitating conditions (FC), social influence (SI), and trust significantly impact behavioral intention (BI) and use behavior (UB). Gender emerged as a key moderator, highlighting nuanced variations in perceptions between male and female students regarding the adoption of ICT tools. DOI: 10.18421/TEM144-51 https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM144-51 Corresponding author: Vishal Jain, Department of Economics and Business Administration, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Ibri, Oman Email: vishal.jain@utas.edu.om Received: 12 February 2025. Revised: 03 July 2025. Accepted: 14 July 2025. Published: 27 November 2025. © 2025 Vishal Jain et al.; published by UIKTEN. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License. The article is published with Open Access at https://www.temjournal.com/ The study makes both theoretical and practical contributions by refining UTAUT’s predictive capability and offering hands-on insights for policymakers and educators to boost ICT adoption. By addressing infrastructure readiness, promoting trust, and tailoring strategies to gender-specific needs, this research lays a foundation for improved digital integration in education. The findings underscore ICT’s transformative potential in creating interactive, equitable, and future-ready learning environments, particularly in emerging economies.