Impact of Motivational Factors on the Learning Process in the Use of Learning Management Systems: An Empirical Study Based on Learners’ Experiences

Learning management systems (LMS) are increasingly being used in the academic field as a supplement to face-to-face learning and are intended to effectively support knowledge transfer through individually integrable e-learning modules. In practice, however, it can be observed that LMS often does not live up to these expectations. Although the learning effectiveness of LMS is discussed in the literature, it is sometimes limited to the system level. Previous studies on the learning effectiveness of LMS have dealt in particular with the usability and adaptivity of the system. However, the one-sided focus on the system seems insufficient in the context of learning effectiveness, since motivational factors at the learner level are largely ignored. This study addresses the motivational factors in the use of LMS by students and uses a prototype to determine which e-learning modules have a positive effect on learning motivation. For this purpose, an e-learning prototype is developed on an LMS with various e-learning modules, and the extent to which the individual modules have an effect on learning motivation is investigated. The results of the study show that e-learning modules which demonstrate individual learning progress are suitable for promoting the learning motivation of students when using LMS.