Tablet and Apps Impacts on Students’ Learning Performance: A Digital Literacy and Student Engagement Mediation Analysis

Abstract

The advancement of tablets and applications in education is crucial, particularly regarding the impact of mobile smart devices on performance in tertiary-level economics. This tertiary-level course examines mobile smart devices and applications via the perspectives of digital literacy and student involvement. The study employed structural equation modeling as its digital methodology, analyzing the model's validators for scope and relevance based on established standards of beta coefficients, t-values, p-values, and R-squared (R2) in relation to the responses of two hundred and fifty undergraduates. The investigation indicated that tablets and mobile applications significantly enhanced digital literacy, engagement, and student performance. Of the three, digital literacy emerged as the most significant mediator. The study demonstrated a robust R2 of 0.789 related to student performance. Therefore, enhancing performance by fostering participation and digital literacy is a crucial finding that education authorities, including the ministry, universities, and schools, should address by incorporating technology into the curriculum to improve digital literacy. Specifically, rural participation in the improvement of digital engagement instruments. Future research should incorporate longitudinal and cross-cultural studies to enhance and expand these findings.