1. Introduction
Learning management systems emerged in the early 1990s [
1] as rudimentary platforms for content delivery in online educational environments. Since then, they have evolved significantly, integrating a wide range of tools and functionalities designed to enhance the learning experience [
2]. According to the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, these systems have not only enhanced the administrative and content delivery aspects of education, but they have also transformed pedagogical practices by enabling more interactive and student-centered learning environments [
3]. Learning management systems refer to software applications designed to digitally manage aspects of learning programs, including the administration, monitoring and reporting of the teaching–learning process [
1,
2]. These tools enable educational institutions to offer online learning environments by facilitating course delivery, interactions between students and teachers, as well as progress monitoring and performance evaluations of participants [
4]. In addition to hosting educational content, learning management systems offer functionalities such as discussion forums, chats, evaluations, progress monitoring, user and resource management, among others, all of which contribute to enriching the learning experience in virtual environments [
5,
6].
In addition to their application in traditional educational environments, learning management systems are also considered useful in the corporate environment, where they can be used for employee training and professional development [
7,
8]. The versatility and adaptability of learning management systems make them ideal for a variety of educational scenarios, from face-to-face teaching with synchronous components to fully virtual and asynchronous learning [
9]. Learning management systems have also been proven to improve student engagement [
10,
11,
12]. In fact, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the application of learning management systems in educational and business environments has become commonplace [
13,
14]. In this sense, learning management systems have not only transformed the teaching and learning processes and educational environments but has also helped democratize access to education by making it more accessible and flexible to a global audience. In addition, these platforms offer educators tools to personalize teaching, adapt content according to the educational needs of students, and foster inclusion and knowledge sharing in a virtual environment [
15]. Despite this, there are studies that have revealed the existence of a gender gap in learning management systems use patterns [
16], as well as some innovation resistance to the use of new learning management systems [
17].
On the other hand, artificial intelligence has experienced a remarkable progress in recent decades, moving from simple algorithms to complex systems capable of emulating human cognitive abilities [
18]. Although its first milestones date back to the 1950s [
19], it is only now that artificial intelligence is bringing about a true social revolution, given the applicability of many applications that implement it to facilitate everyday activities in many professions [
20], such as writing texts, designing presentations, creating images, performing basic calculations, etc. This evolution has led to a wide range of applications in fields such as health [
21], robotics [
22], engineering [
23], energy efficiency [
24], among others. Education is another sector in which the integration of artificial intelligence can yield several benefits, as well as help transform and further advance it [
25,
26,
27]. The potential of artificial intelligence to transform multiple aspects of society is undeniable, and its continuous evolution promises to open new frontiers in research and technological innovation.
Learning management systems are systems in which the integration of artificial intelligence can drastically change and improve their performance [
28,
29]. As the field of study is rapidly advancing, it is important to present a detailed representation of the existing literature so that future studies can build upon. This study aims to provide an overview of the existing literature regarding the integration of artificial intelligence in learning management systems through the conduct of a bibliometric review. The main contributions of this study are that it reveals the strengths and weaknesses of recent research in relation to the use of artificial intelligence in learning management systems and that it identifies the most developed lines of research and those that are still incipient. Thus, this study provides a representation and analysis of the current literature, examines and maps the published documents, identifies emerging topics and trends, and provides future research directions.
The remainder of this study is structured as follows: In
Section 2, the methods and materials used are presented focusing on the document identification and process. In
Section 3, the result analysis of the document collection examined is showcased. The outcomes are further discussed in
Section 4 and conclusive remarks and suggestions for future research directions are provided in
Section 5.
4. Discussion
The synergy between learning management systems and artificial intelligence can help education undergo a significant transformation. The integration of artificial intelligence into learning management systems will transform education by offering more personalized and efficient learning experiences. Using artificial intelligence algorithms, learning management systems can analyze student behavior and progress, identify learning patterns, and automatically adapt content and activities to meet the individual needs of each learner. In addition, artificial intelligence can empower the interaction between students and teachers through intelligent systems (e.g., chatbots, virtual assistants, etc.) that provide instant responses to questions, assist in self-directed learning, and offer personalized assistance, feedback, and assessment in real time [
27].
Integrating artificial intelligence into learning management systems also enables the automation of administrative tasks and the generation of advanced analytical reports. Artificial intelligence algorithms can help administrators and educators more efficiently manage courses, allocate resources, detect potential learning problems, and provide personalized recommendations to improve the learning experience. Artificial intelligence can also facilitate the detection of trends and behavioral patterns in system data, enabling educational institutions to make informed and strategic decisions to optimize their teaching and learning programs.
However, in order for artificial intelligence to be effectively integrated into learning management systems and be introduced in classrooms, there are several ethical issues as well as privacy and security concerns that should be taken into account [
49,
50,
51]. Additionally, technical aspects (e.g., algorithmic bias, etc.) should also be considered [
52,
53,
54].
According to the outcomes of this study, it can be inferred that the integration of artificial intelligence in learning management systems is still at its early stages. However, due to its potential benefits, more studies are being conducted that examine its use. This fact can be justified by the majority of the studies (57.03%) having been published in the last three years (2021–2023) and the average document age within the document collection being 4.74 years. The high annual growth rate (25.42%) further highlights the importance of this topic and its potential to transform the educational sector. Impactful sources in the form of journals, conferences, and books have been used to publish relative to the topic documents. Sources of different types were identified in the list of the most impactful sources with 24 (12.37%) out of the 194 being regarded as highly relevant. It should be noted that among the top sources, some published related documents only in 2023. Authors from 55 countries from various continents have contributed to this topic which highlights its eminent importance and its potentials to enrich teaching and learning processes. However, a lack of international collaborations was noticed. Therefore, there is a clear need for more international and interdisciplinary collaborations to be established to further advance this field of study.
The findings of this study further confirm and expand upon those of other systematic review studies which have examined the role of artificial intelligence [
55,
56,
57] and learning management systems in education [
1,
58,
59]. When examining the keywords of the documents, the close relationship between artificial intelligence and learning management systems with teaching and learning processes became evident.
After the first search in the Scopus and WoS databases, additional search fields were added to identify the importance of the different advantages of the integration of artificial intelligence in learning management systems (
Table 6): (i) improve information management; (ii) support teaching and learning activities; (iii) create intelligent educational systems; and (iv) provide educational data mining and learning activities.
Besides being used to improve information management, distribution, and creation, the integration of artificial intelligence within learning management systems can create intelligent educational systems which will amplify adaptive and personalized learning and will support both teaching and learning activities. Educational data mining and learning analytics are essential aspects for providing personalized learning [
60]. Their important role in the realization of intelligent educational systems, intelligent tutoring systems, computer-aided instructions, and intelligent agents was revealed. Virtual reality environments and immersive virtual experiences also emerged as suitable learning environments to increase learning outcomes when combined with artificial intelligence.
Table 6.
Advantages of artificial intelligence integration in learning management systems.
Table 6.
Advantages of artificial intelligence integration in learning management systems.
Advantages | Description | Added Search Field | References |
---|
Improve information management | The integration of artificial intelligence in learning management systems has significantly improved information management, enabling more accurate learning personalization, real-time data analysis, and optimization of educational resources, thus resulting in a more efficient learning experience tailored to individual student needs. | AND (“informa*”) AND (“manag*”) | [61,62] |
Support teaching and learning activities | It enables more precise personalization of learning, as well as continuous support and prediction of teaching and learning activities, thus improving students’ understanding and academic performance in a personalized and effective way. | AND (“support”) AND (“teach*” OR “learn*” OR “activiti*”) | [63,64] |
Create intelligent educational systems | Capable of dynamically adapting the contents and pedagogical methods to the needs and learning styles of students. | AND (“intel*”) AND (“educ*” OR “system”) | [65,66] |
Provide educational data mining and learning activities | AI can process and analyze large volumes of student-generated data, such as interactions, performance, and participation patterns, quickly and accurately. This makes it possible to identify trends and behaviors that help personalize and improve the educational process. | AND (“data*” OR “mining”) | [67,68] |
5. Conclusions
This bibliometric review focused on examining the integration and use of artificial intelligence in learning management systems. Specifically, it examined 256 documents from 2004 to 2023. The analysis included the examination of the document collection specifications, citations, sources, affiliations, countries, and documents. Additionally, it explored the evolution of the topic and identified emerging themes and trends.
The outcomes of this study can support education stakeholders and policy makers as well as revealing meaningful future research directions. Based on the outcomes, the potentials of artificial intelligence to enrich the educational process were highlighted. Learning management systems are becoming more important in teaching and learning activities. The integration of artificial intelligence into learning management systems can further amplify and improve their capabilities. Such intelligent systems provide adaptive and personalized learning experiences which, in turn, can promote and support self-regulated learning as supported by the Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theory, which emphasizes the importance of personalized feedback and adaptive learning environments in fostering self-regulation among learners [
69]. Moreover, they can increase students’ motivation and engagement which, in turn, can promote active learning as supported by Vygotsky’s theory underscoring the role of interactive and collaborative communication in promoting active learning [
70]. These systems can also improve equal access to education by supporting the creation, use, management, and distribution of open educational resources. Furthermore, as machine learning and deep learning models become more advanced and computing capabilities increase, studies have started to examine their role in enriching learning management systems. Studies have also focused on the use of learning management systems in online learning environments. More emphasis should be put on how intelligent driven learning management systems can be used in face-to-face classes to support teaching and learning activities. As the use of artificial intelligence matures and its integration into learning management systems advances, it is important to also examine its use in virtual learning environments and immersive learning environments as well as the role of learning analytics and educational data mining as a means to provide more effective and personalized learning. As the current focus remains on technological aspects and on the improvement of the intelligent learning systems, more emphasis should be placed on students’ characteristics and performance and how they can influence the use of such systems as well as how intelligent systems can identify them and adapt accordingly to provide students with more personalized learning experiences. Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence have also highlighted the need to further rethink how artificial intelligence can be used to provide meaningful feedback and assessment at an individual level. Additionally, there is a need to further explore how the use of artificial intelligence and learning management systems can promote and support the creation, distribution, adoption, and use of open educational resources to ensure equal access to high quality education for all. In this sense, it is essential to examine how such intelligent systems can be created to support the universal design for learning guidelines to improve accessibility in education.
As this study adopted a bibliometric analysis and review approach, there are some limitations that should be taken into account. Specifically, there is a lack of more in-depth examination of the practical implementations of artificial intelligence in learning management systems, ethical considerations, technical details, and geographical diversity considerations. Hence, future studies should focus on systematically analyzing relevant case studies and providing more practical insights. Additionally, future studies should look into ethical considerations and issues about the integration of artificial intelligence into education and how it can potentially influence teacher–student interactions so as to acquire a better understanding of the impact of artificial intelligence on education. Furthermore, there is a need to further examine the technical aspects associated with artificial intelligence, its use in learning management systems, and its adoption and integration in classrooms. Future studies could also explore how the use of artificial intelligence is advancing in different countries and analyze its geographical diversity in terms of its adoption and use in classrooms.
As the topic is further advancing, it is important for more experimental studies to be conducted to explore the implications and effects of integrating artificial intelligence and learning management systems into education at all educational levels. It is also significant to identify suitable design approaches and methods to effectively introduce and integrate them into classrooms. There is also a need to examine how they can influence face-to-face, online, and hybrid learning. In addition, future studies should focus on how students’ personalities, characteristics, and learning preferences can affect and are affected by the integration of artificial intelligence into teaching and learning processes. It is important to explore how such tools can be effectively used and integrated by administrators and teachers and how they can support them. Finally, future studies should focus on examining the current state of education stakeholders’ artificial intelligence literacy and how to further improve it, as well as how they adopt and integrate artificial intelligence in their classrooms. On the other hand, the inclusion of self-regulated learning theory (SRL) and Vygotsky’s theory in the debate about the potential of AI in LMSs could open a new line of study.