Understanding the technical and social paradoxes of learning management systems usage in higher education: A sociotechnical perspective

Abstract

AbstractThe recent COVID‐19 pandemic has created an unprecedentedly complex situation and wicked problem in the education domain. This has forced educators and learners to study from home using unfamiliar pedagogical typologies and technologies in order to adapt to the new work routine. This research contributes to theory and practice by adopting a sociotechnical approach (STS) to understand the technical and social implications of learning management systems (LMS) to inform pedagogical development. A qualitative approach is adopted, and semi‐structured interviews are conducted across two university cases with 40 academics and students to capture their perceptions of LMS usage. We found that technical paradoxes present a barrier to pedagogical development in the transition from blended learning environments to remote ones, where many wicked and unprecedented challenges emerge from learning remotely during a pandemic, while social paradoxes arise from cultural issues such as user resistance that impede the university's pedagogical goals and visions.