Understanding digital learning resource adoption in vocational education: the roles of value perception and learning preferences

Drawing on a large-scale national survey of 445,939 vocational college students across 31 provinces in China, this study examines how learners’ perceptions of value and their individual study preferences influence the adoption of digital learning resources amid ongoing digital transformation. We conceptualise value perception in two complementary dimensions—affective engagement (interest value) and self-efficacy (ability value)—and measure usage across diverse digital resource types. Learning preferences capture students’ inclination toward digital versus traditional study methods. Multivariate regression analyses show that both dimensions of perceived value significantly motivate digital resource use, with ability value proving especially influential. At the same time, we find that learning preferences enhance the positive impact of value perception on the use of digital resources. These patterns are held under various robustness checks and exhibit modest variation in institutional and regional contexts. By integrating insights from technology-acceptance and motivation theories, our findings clarify how digital transformation in vocational education can be guided to better align digital offerings with learners’ values and learning preferences.