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Abstract
This study investigates the role of Activity Theory (AT) in e-learning context, prompting an understanding of e-learning initiatives in higher education. Despite a growing body of AT-informed research on e-learning practices in higher education, existing studies remain fragmented, with limited attention to contradictions as generative forces, under-exploration of technology’s mediating role, and a lack of systematic synthesis. The review was composed systematically: the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) was applied; four robust databases, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, & JSTOR, were used to screen the most relevant studies. Authors reached a consensus on coding 31 studies into three categories, which encompass an Analytical Lens, Conceptual Framing, and Intervention-based Design. The most common type is the Analytical Lens, followed by Conceptual Framing and Intervention-based Design. Contradictions at all four levels of Activity Theory drive adaptation and change in e-learning. Primary tensions (e.g., learner motivation, faculty digital competence) are typically managed with short-term fixes, while secondary contradictions between tools, rules, and objectives are most frequent, prompting pragmatic task and role negotiations and, at times, curriculum redesign. Tertiary contradictions between reform-oriented innovations (e.g., flipped or AI-enhanced learning) and entrenched traditions most reliably catalyse expansive learning and institutional transformation when backed by professional development and governance. Quaternary contradictions across academic, social, and policy systems produce uneven outcomes, with success depending on cross-unit coordination and policy alignment.
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Review Article
Journal of Digital Educational Technology, Volume 6, Issue 2, October 2026, Article No: ep2617
https://doi.org/10.29333/jdet/18857
Publication date: 25 Jun 2026
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