Perceived compatibility and students’ intention to adopt digital technologies in Islamic education institutions

Various factors, including technical, organisational, cultural, and individual, can influence how people adopt digital technologies (DT). However, different contexts have produced similar yet distinct results when researchers integrated these various factors into the technology acceptance model (TAM). Two critical factors in the Islamic educational context that are scarcely addressed in the literature are perceived educational compatibility (PIC) and digital self-efficacy (DSE). Therefore, the study aspires to address the existing gaps by examining the determinants of intention to accept DT in Islamic education by integrating a contextual factor into TAM. We used a quantitative survey to acquire data from Islamic university students in Brunei, and a sample of 160 cases was obtained through Google Forms. Using the SEM-PLS (structural-equation-modelling-partial least squares) approach, the data was analysed through the ADANCO software to test the study’s seven hypotheses. The results were that all hypotheses were significantly supported, including the significant effects of both DSE and PIC, besides two TAM’s core variables, on learners’ intention to utilise digital technology for learning purposes. The model explained 64.3% of behavioural intention. The findings’ implications from our study are provided for both theoretical advancement and pragmatic considerations for the effective integration of DTs in religious and non-religious educational institutes. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.