Assessing the Effectiveness of the LMS in Enhancing Academic Performance across Year Groups at UCC: A Cross-Sectional Study of Level 200 to Level 400 Students

This study assessed the effectiveness of the Learning Management System (LMS) in enhancing academic performance across second-, third-, and fourth-year students at the University of Cape Coast (UCC). Employing a cross-sectional survey design, the research collected data from 14,481 students to examine variations in LMS adoption, usability, and challenges. Key findings revealed significant differences in academic performance, with fourth-year students outperforming their junior counterparts. Perceived LMS effectiveness was the highest among second-year students but declined progressively in higher year groups, attributed to unmet expectations and limited advanced features. Regression analysis indicated a stronger positive relationship between LMS usability and academic performance for third-year students compared to fourth-year students. Challenges such as low digital literacy, poor internet connectivity, and insufficient technical support were identified as barriers to LMS effectiveness. The study underscores the need for tailored interventions, including enhanced training, infrastructure investment, and advanced LMS features, to address the unique needs of students at different academic levels. These findings contribute to the discourse on LMS implementation in resource-constrained settings and provide actionable recommendations for policymakers and educators to optimize digital learning outcomes.