Bridging instructional design and technology adoption: the mediating role of student preference in metaverse-based English learning

Abstract

This study aims to examine how student-perceived technology, content and pedagogy design influence vocational students’ intention to use metaverse-based English learning platforms and assess the mediating role of student preference. A survey of 374 students from five vocational colleges was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect relationships among metaverse Technology (MTE), Content Design (CDE), Pedagogy Design (PDE), student Preference (STP) and intention to use (ITU). CDE and PDE directly predicted ITU (β = 0.237 and β = 0.239, respectively), whereas MTE influenced ITU primarily through the STP. STP was the strongest predictor of ITU (β = 0.451) and significantly mediated all the instructional design dimensions. The model explained 54.4% of the variance in ITU (R2 = 0.544), indicating a strong explanatory power. This study offers a learner-centered account of metaverse adoption by integrating student-perceived technology, content and pedagogy with student preference as a mediating mechanism. The findings suggest that vocational colleges should prioritize authentic occupational content, coherent pedagogy, teacher preparation, accessible implementation, staged scaling and evaluation beyond adoption intention. Its sustainability contribution is deliberately bounded: through an sustainable development goal(s) (SDG) 4 lens, the study identifies instructional quality and learner acceptability as conditions relevant to responsible digital implementation, while recognizing that equity, accessibility, learning outcomes, institutional capacity, governance and long-term viability require additional evidence.