The Effectiveness of Digital Media Types on Learning Motivation Among University Students: A Systematic Literature Review

This study is a systematic review of the literature on the types of digital media that most effectively increase university students' motivation during the learning process in an asynchronous learning model. Based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a total of 30 empirical articles retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar underwent thematic synthesis between 2019 and 2025. Results show that interactive multimedia tools, such as H5P-based content and augmented reality applications, in combination with digital games and simulations, were well aligned with the three basic psychological needs of Self-Determination Theory (SDT): autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Short instructional videos also showed significant motivational effects, especially if they had an apparent teaching presence and interactive components. In contrast, static document formats (PDFs) had the lowest motivational influence across all SDT dimensions. A total of six moderating variables were found, which are students' digital competence, the quality of the instructional design, instructor facilitation, digital infrastructure, individual learning preferences, and the length of exposure to media. These are all of which have the potential to increase or decrease the motivational effects of a medium. The review, based on an integrative TAM–SDT theoretical framework, suggests a hierarchical model of digital media use in higher education in the context of an asynchronous learning environment, especially in the case of the public universities in Malaysia. Instructional designers, academics, and institutional policy makers are discussed in terms of implications.