Virtual learning environments and their effectiveness in the academic and emotional success of university students: A systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15313562Keywords:
well-being, virtual learning environment, academic performance, university studentsAbstract
In recent years, the use of virtual learning environments (VLE) in university education has experienced a notable increase, a phenomenon that intensified as a result of the pandemic and has been further driven by the emergence of artificial intelligence. Given this scenario, there was a need to answer questions related to the effectiveness of these environments on academic performance and their impact on students' emotional development, two fundamental factors for both learning achievement and retention in the educational system. In this context, this systematic review analyzed selected articles under the inclusion criteria established by the PRISMA methodology. To this end, the available evidence was considered in 37 documents, extracted from a total of 140 identified in databases such as Scopus and Scielo, corresponding to the period between 2014 and 2024. The results reveal that 67% of the research consulted supports the effectiveness of active participation in VLEs as a significant predictor of university students' academic performance and emotional development. This is because these environments foster autonomy, self-efficacy, and motivation. However, 33% of the studies reviewed disagree with these findings, pointing to negative emotional effects. In these cases, situations of stress and anxiety associated with the use of VLEs were identified, mainly attributable to connectivity issues, lack of technological resources, and limited interaction with the teacher. It is worth noting that Moodle was the most studied VLE platform, which opens the door to future research on other alternatives, such as gamification platforms and social media-mediated learning.
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