(Ir)Responsible Uses of Digital Technologies in Business Education. Interruptions or Engagement?

The study addresses a crucial question regarding the (ir)responsible use of digital technology in education. By “responsible use of technology,” we refer to an approach that integrates technology into the educational process, carefully considering its impacts (both positive and negative) on the state of the educational process’s stakeholders. To gauge the extent of responsible technology use in education, this research contrasts digital technology’s positive and negative effects in business education settings. Furthermore, we focused on the student-centered perspective since students are major stakeholders in education. The paper utilizes a survey of students (n = 285) and applies partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results confirm that digital technology in business education context has a dual effect. On one hand, digital technology enhances engagement; on the other hand, it increases the level of distraction. The engagement has then a positive impact on task performance, while the link from distraction to task performance is positive and not statistically significant. This supports our perspective that technology exerts a complex and multifaceted impact. We argue that responsible use of technology necessitates studying and accounting for these diverse effects. The research attempts to extend the framework of responsible use of technology by deepening understanding of digital technology’s impact on student performance. Furthermore, the study compared the positive and negative impacts of digital technology use. Lastly, we explore the phenomenon in business education settings.