From digital learning readiness to student satisfaction: the mediating role of learning well-being in Saudi higher education

This research advances understanding of the determinants of student satisfaction in digital higher education, offering valuable insights for sustainable digital transformation initiatives globally. The study sampled 212 actively engaged higher education students from the Hail region of Saudi Arabia, with a gender distribution of 55.2% males and 44.8% females, utilizing a culturally adapted online questionnaire comprising validated scales on digital learning, acceptance, readiness, orchestration, well-being, and satisfaction, measured on a five-point Likert scale. Using TAM, UTAUT, Digital Readiness Theory, and well-being theory, this quantitative study (PLS-SEM) find that digital learning readiness and institutional orchestration directly improve students’ well-being, which in turn drives students learning satisfaction in Saudi higher educations institutions. These findings extend digital learning theory by demonstrating that well-being operates as a full mediator for acceptance, readiness, and orchestration, refining theoretical predictions about boundary condition of TAM and UTAUT in collective educational context. The findings suggest that institutions should strengthen digital strategies by improving infrastructure, developing staff digital competencies, and expanding student mental-health support.