Digital Inequality and Student Engagement : A Study of First-Year International Students’ Experiences with Learning Management Systems in Swedish Higher Education

Sammanfattning

Swedish higher education is known for its advanced digital infrastructure and heavy reliance on Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle. However, the assumption of equal digital access and competence often overlooks disparities faced by first-year international students from less digitally developed regions. This master’s thesis investigates how digital inequality shapes the learning and engagement of first-year international students in platform-mediated courses at Swedish universities. Informed by the researcher’s experience as an international student, the study addresses the question: How does digital inequality influence the learning and engagement of first-year international students in platformmediated courses at Swedish universities? The research is grounded in an integrated framework that combines student engagement theory (Fredricks et al., 2004), which includes behavioural, cognitive, and emotional dimensions, with digital inequality theory (van Deursen & van Dijk, 2019; van Dijk, 2020). A qualitative exploratory design was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 14 purposively selected first-year international students from India, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zambia. Data were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The findings revealed six key themes: (1) influence of prior educational and digital background, (2) initial navigation challenges and platform usability, (3) access to devices and internet reliability, (4) students' behavioural, cognitive, and emotional engagement, (5) adaptation processes and institutional support, and (6) perceived inequalities and suggestions for improvement. Although students adapted over time, digital inequality created significant early disadvantages in participation and confidence. The study concludes that Learning Management Systems are not neutral and can unintentionally reproduce educational disparities. Adaptation speed depends heavily on prior experience and institutional support. Implications include the need for structured digital onboarding, improved LMS design, and ongoing digital literacy support for international students. This research offers insights to foster more equitable digital learning environments in higher education.