LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN EDUCATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW ON THEIR EFFECT ON MOTICVATION AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVMENT
Keywords:
learning management systems, student motivation, academic achievement, educational technology, systematic literature review, higher educationAbstract
The rapid expansion of Learning Management Systems (LMS) in global education has intensified scholarly interest in their pedagogical effectiveness, particularly regarding student motivation and academic achievement. Despite widespread institutional adoption, empirical findings remain fragmented and occasionally inconsistent. This study presents a systematic literature review of Q1-indexed international research published between 2015 and 2025 to examine how LMS implementation influences motivational constructs and learning outcomes across diverse educational contexts. Using a transparent and replicable review protocol, 78 empirical studies were identified, screened, and synthesized through thematic and descriptive analytical procedures. The results indicate that LMS usage demonstrates a more consistent and statistically significant association with student motivation—particularly engagement, self-regulated learning, and academic self-efficacy—than with direct academic achievement outcomes. While a majority of studies report positive relationships between LMS integration and performance indicators, the magnitude of these effects varies substantially across contexts and methodological designs. Importantly, the evidence consistently supports a mediated relationship in which motivational constructs function as central explanatory mechanisms linking LMS-supported learning environments to academic performance. These findings suggest that LMS effectiveness depends less on technological adoption itself and more on pedagogical integration, instructional design quality, and learner readiness. By synthesizing contemporary high-impact research, this study contributes to theoretical clarification and methodological coherence in educational technology scholarship. The review underscores the importance of aligning LMS implementation with motivation-based learning frameworks to optimize both engagement and achievement in digitally mediated education.
Downloads
References
Al-Emran, M., Mezhuyev, V., & Kamaludin, A. (2020). Technology acceptance model in M-learning context: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 125, 389–412.
Al-Fraihat, D., Joy, M., Masa’deh, R., & Sinclair, J. (2020). Evaluating E-learning systems success: An empirical study. Computers in Human Behavior, 102, 67–86.
Bond, M., Bedenlier, S., Marín, V. I., & Händel, M. (2020). Emergency remote teaching in higher education: Mapping the first global online semester. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(1), 1–24.
Bond, M., Zawacki-Richter, O., & Nichols, M. (2019). Revisiting five decades of educational technology research: A content and authorship analysis of the British Journal of Educational Technology. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(1), 12–63.
Broadbent, J., & Poon, W. L. (2015). Self-regulated learning strategies & academic achievement in online higher education learning environments: A systematic review. Internet and Higher Education, 27, 1–13.
Dahlstrom, E., Brooks, D. C., & Bichsel, J. (2015). The current ecosystem of learning management systems in higher education. EDUCAUSE Review, 50(4), 28–36.
Huang, C., Teo, T., & Zhou, M. (2020). The effects of LMS, self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning on academic achievement. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68, 1–20.
Kirkwood, A., & Price, L. (2014). Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in higher education: What is enhanced and how do we know? A critical literature review. Learning, Media and Technology, 39(1), 6–36.
Klobas, J. E., McGill, T. J., & Wang, X. (2018). How perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use predict student satisfaction in LMS environments. Computers & Education, 124, 1–15.
Martin, F., Sunley, R., & Turner, M. (2020). Exploring student perception of LMS in higher education. Internet and Higher Education, 45, 100726.
Rasheed, R. A., Kamsin, A., & Abdullah, N. A. (2020). Challenges in the online component of blended learning: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 144, 103701.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860.
Scherer, R., Siddiq, F., & Tondeur, J. (2019). The technology acceptance model (TAM): A meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach. Computers & Education, 128, 13–35.
Schindler, L. A., Burkholder, G. J., Morad, O. A., & Marsh, C. (2017). Computer-based technology and student engagement: A critical review of the literature. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 14(1), 25.
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 39.
Zawacki-Richter, O., & Naidu, S. (2016). Mapping research trends from 35 years of publications in Distance Education. Distance Education, 37(3), 245–269.
