Decolonizing Digital Pedagogies: Exploring Student-Centered Curriculum Innovation through Learning Management Systems in Rural Higher Education

This qualitative study examines undergraduate students’ experiences of a learning management system (LMS) at a rural South African university and their implications for decolonizing digital pedagogy. Semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected students were analyzed thematically, guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, student-centered learning theory, and decolonial curriculum thought. Five themes emerged: LMS learning; material access; lecturer practice; peer networks; and language, relevance, and participation. Findings indicate that meaningful participation requires access, digital competence, purposeful pedagogy, and recognition of students’ languages and experiences, while peer support compensates for uneven institutional induction.