International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract—This article explores factors shaping the uptake of digital learning among high school students in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, a region rarely examined despite its multicultural context and limited resources. To the best of our knowledge, this constitutes the first empirical inquiry in the region that expands the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) through the integration of Self-Efficacy (SE), Facilitating Conditions (FC), and Perceived Safety (PS). In doing so, the research contributes a comprehensive perspective on how psychological, socio-cultural, and contextual elements shape technology acceptance in under-resourced schools. Data were gathered from a sample of 926 students representing various ethnic backgrounds, utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for hypothesis testing. The research indicates that Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEU), Social Influence (SI), and Self-Efficacy (SE) are important predictors of Behavioral Intention (BI). FC has both direct influences on BI and indirect influences through PU and PEU, while PS does not appear as a major predictor. These outcomes challenge conventional infrastructure-focused perspectives by demonstrating that provision of access alone is insufficient; instead, digital confidence, peer influence, and cultural embeddedness serve as critical enablers of sustained engagement. From a theoretical standpoint, the study extends UTAUT by emphasizing the pivotal role of SI within collectivist and resource-constrained contexts, thereby problematizing integration models that privilege infrastructure as the primary determinant. From a practical perspective, the findings underscore the necessity of culturally responsive interventions—including peer mentoring and community-based digital literacy initiatives—to foster inclusive digital participation. Collectively, these insights generate timely implications for policymakers, educators, and technology developers in Vietnam as well as in other multicultural and low-resource settings.

Keywords—cultural diversity, digital learning devices, mobile learning, multicultural high school students, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT)

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Cite: Le Thi Thuy An and Ta Thanh Trung, "Cultural and Technological Factors Influencing the Use of Digital Devices in Learning Among Multicultural High School Students in Vietnam’s Central Highlands," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 748-758, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).