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<p>Despite the widespread adoption of gamified learning platforms in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, limited empirical research has examined students’ actual use of these platforms in digitally distraction-prone learning environments. Addressing this gap, the present study develops and tests an extended UTAUT-2 model that explains both behavioral intention and actual use of gamified learning platforms while explicitly incorporating digital distraction as a perceived attentional constraint. Survey data were collected from 458 Saudi EFL university students with prior experience using Kahoot!, Quizizz, and Duolingo and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and hedonic motivation are significantly associated with behavioral intention, while habit, facilitating conditions, and behavioral intention are significantly associated with actual use. Crucially, perceived digital distraction shows a significant negative association with students’ actual use, indicating that attentional disruption may limit engagement even when motivation and habitual use are present. By integrating attentional factors into a technology acceptance framework, this study advances understanding of gamified learning adoption and highlights the need to balance motivational design with sustained cognitive focus in digitally intensive EFL contexts.</p>

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Unveiling the veil: Understanding digital distraction in gamified learning environments among EFL learners

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Saleh Mosleh Alharthi

摘要

Despite the widespread adoption of gamified learning platforms in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, limited empirical research has examined students’ actual use of these platforms in digitally distraction-prone learning environments. Addressing this gap, the present study develops and tests an extended UTAUT-2 model that explains both behavioral intention and actual use of gamified learning platforms while explicitly incorporating digital distraction as a perceived attentional constraint. Survey data were collected from 458 Saudi EFL university students with prior experience using Kahoot!, Quizizz, and Duolingo and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and hedonic motivation are significantly associated with behavioral intention, while habit, facilitating conditions, and behavioral intention are significantly associated with actual use. Crucially, perceived digital distraction shows a significant negative association with students’ actual use, indicating that attentional disruption may limit engagement even when motivation and habitual use are present. By integrating attentional factors into a technology acceptance framework, this study advances understanding of gamified learning adoption and highlights the need to balance motivational design with sustained cognitive focus in digitally intensive EFL contexts.