Exploring the factors influencing continuance intention to use simulation software in mechatronic engineering by integrating the TAM and TTF model

TL;DR

This study explores why students keep using simulation software in mechatronics education by combining two models.

Contribution

The integration of TAM and TTF models provides new insights into factors affecting software continuance intention in education.

Findings

Perceived ease of use, usefulness, and task-technology fit increase student satisfaction with simulation software.

Task-technology fit and satisfaction both positively influence students' intention to continue using the software.

Task-technology fit indirectly affects continuance intention through student satisfaction.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the factors influencing students’ continuance intention to use simulation software in mechatronic engineering education by integrating the technology acceptance model (TAM) and task technology fit (TTF) model. This study distributed questionnaires and collected data through the WJX platform. The questionnaire incorporated established and validated scales to measure key constructs, including perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, task‒technology fit, student satisfaction, and continuance intention. The participants were 351 mechatronics engineering students (including undergraduates, postgraduates, and doctoral students) from universities in Shaanxi Province, China, who had some experience using simulation software. The data were analysed via structural equation modelling (SEM) to ensure that the sample size matched the number of model variables. The results indicated that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and task‒technology fit positively affected students’ satisfaction with the simulation software. Task‒technology fit and satisfaction have a positive effect on the students’ continuance intention to use the simulation software. Notably, the effects of task‒technology fit and satisfaction on students’ willingness to persist in using the simulation software are approximately similar. In addition, task‒technology fit not only directly influenced the willingness to persist in using simulation software in mechatronics learning but also indirectly affected these intentions through students’ satisfaction with the simulation software. These findings provide valuable insights into the design and implementation of simulation software in mechatronics engineering education, emphasizing the importance of aligning software functions with students’ learning tasks and goals.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-90585-0.

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