Student experiences with learning management systems, the digital divide, and the quest for academic support in South Africa's rural universities

This study examines how students at a rural South African university experience Learning Management Systems within conditions shaped by the digital divide. Anchored in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the research explores how performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions interact with structural inequalities to influence technology adoption and academic engagement. Using an interpretivist qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with undergraduate students across four faculties. The findings reveal that although students perceive LMS platforms as academically beneficial, infrastructural instability, high data costs and uneven institutional support constrain meaningful use. The study contributes context-sensitive insights into information systems implementation in resource-constrained higher education environments and proposes integrated technological and organisational strategies to promote equitable digital transformation. Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how undergraduate students at a rural South African university experience and evaluate the use of Learning Management Systems for curriculum delivery. Specifically, the study examines how UTAUT constructs of performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions shape students' perceptions of usefulness, ease of use and institutional support within a context characterised by infrastructural inequality, and it aims to surface the conceptual link between the digital divide, LMS adoption and students' perceived academic support. It aims to contribute to systems and information technology scholarship by foregrounding user experiences in resource-constrained higher education settings. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted an interpretivist qualitative research design. Twenty undergraduate students from four faculties were purposively selected to provide diverse disciplinary perspectives. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews focusing on students' experiences with LMS use, digital access, and institutional support. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns and interpret findings through the lens of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Rigour was enhanced through systematic coding, alignment with theoretical constructs and attention to credibility and trustworthiness. Findings Findings indicate strong performance expectancy, with students recognising the perceived academic value of LMS platforms in supporting access to materials, revision and feedback. However, effort expectancy is mediated by disparities in digital literacy and limited training. Facilitating conditions emerged as the most significant constraint, as unstable connectivity, high data costs and limited device access undermine consistent engagement. Lecturer presence and institutional support significantly shape user satisfaction. The results demonstrate that technology adoption in rural higher education is contingent upon socio-technical alignment rather than technological provision alone. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to a single rural university and a relatively small qualitative sample, which restricts the generalisability of the statistical findings. Findings should therefore be read analytically rather than statistically, and be generalisable, though they may vary across rural universities with different LMS platforms, infrastructure and institutional support systems. The study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology by demonstrating how facilitating conditions are structurally embedded in socio-economic inequality. It contributes to information systems research by integrating user-centred perspectives with contextual analysis in the Global South. Social implications The study highlights the role of digital infrastructure and institutional responsiveness in either mitigating or reproducing educational inequality. By revealing how the digital divide constrains students' academic participation, the research underscores the need for socially responsive digital transformation strategies. Addressing connectivity gaps, data affordability and inclusive design is essential for promoting equitable access to higher education and supporting historically marginalised rural communities. Practical implications Universities should integrate infrastructural investment with structured digital literacy training and continuous professional development for lecturers. Institutional strategies must prioritise reliable connectivity, subsidised data access and accessible course design aligned with Universal Design for Learning principles. Effective LMS implementation requires coordinated socio-technical planning that aligns system functionality, pedagogical practice and student support services to enhance user satisfaction and academic outcomes. Originality/value This study provides original empirical insights into Learning Management System adoption in a rural African higher education context. Combining UTAUT with a socio-technical perspective demonstrates how structural inequality shapes technology acceptance and use. Its novelty lies in centring the lived, first-person accounts of students, rather than the institutional or lecturer perspectives that dominate the existing South African e-learning literature, and in integrating UTAUT with sociocultural and equity-oriented perspectives (Ubuntu and Universal Design for Learning) into a single interpretive conceptual framework. The research advances systems and information technology scholarship by foregrounding user experience in underrepresented settings and offering context-sensitive recommendations for equitable digital implementation.