Interplay between online tertiary education, academic curriculum viability and students’ experiences: the dynamics of digital learning ecosystems

Purpose This study investigates the structural interplay among Digital Learning Ecosystems (DLE), Viability of Online Academic Curriculum (VOAC), Quality of Online Education (QOE) and Students’ Lived Experiences (SLE) within a tertiary education context in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey design was employed, collecting data from 668 graduate students. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS was applied to test four hypothesized relationships linking curriculum viability, perceived quality, digital ecosystems and experiential outcomes. Factor analysis ensured construct reliability, and model fit was evaluated using standard SEM indices. Findings Findings indicate that VOAC significantly associates with QOE, while DLE strongly relates with SLE. Interestingly, QOE does not automatically relate with SLE, suggesting a structural disjunction between institutional quality metrics and students’ lived realities. VOAC minimally associate with SLE, implying indirect pathways mediated by DLE. Overall, the digital ecosystem emerged as dominantly and contextually related to student experience. Practical implications This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of online education in sub-Saharan African contexts by differentiating structural quality from lived experience, highlighting the centrality of digital ecosystems and providing actionable guidance for institutions navigating the challenges of digitally mediated learning. For policymakers and educational leaders, these findings imply that investments in digital infrastructure (e.g. reliable connectivity, institutional platforms, device access) should be prioritized alongside curricular reform. Social implications The study outcome benefits the society, as recipients of academic knowledge and skills, and will serve as a useful guide by educational institutions for the effective design of online education programs that moves beyond technical implementation to the fostering of genuine societal and human-centric interaction. Originality/value The study differentiates perceived quality from lived experience, repositions digital learning ecosystems as central to online education and provides a systemic framework for understanding online tertiary education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Implications highlight the need for integrated curriculum reform, ecosystem readiness and experiential design to achieve equitable and sustainable online education transformation.