The Digital Panopticon: How Learning Management Systems Transform Educational Surveillance and Student Agency
Hany Zaky *
Eastern International College, NJ, USA.
Mark Fouad
Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
Martin Fouad
Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Learning Management Systems (LMS) have profoundly reshaped higher education by incorporating advanced surveillance features that alter student-instructor interactions. Marketed as teaching tools, these platforms often resemble a "digital panopticon," where continuous monitoring becomes routine, emphasizing compliance and data collection over meaningful engagement and educational growth. This systematic review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, analyzes 30 peer-reviewed studies (2020-2025) on surveillance functions in leading LMS platforms (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle), student response patterns, and the psychological impacts of extensive oversight. Unlike traditional classroom surveillance, which is visible, time-limited, and characterized by authority, digital LMS monitoring is ongoing, often invisible, and asymmetrical—expanding institutional oversight into private spaces and creating permanent behavioral records that follow students throughout their academic journey. The review shows how educational technology shifts learning environments from collaborative spaces to systems focused on behavior control. Key findings include: (1) leading LMS platforms use advanced surveillance that goes beyond basic academic tracking to detailed behavioral profiling via machine learning and predictive analytics; (2) students often respond with performative compliance, technical manipulation, or strategic avoidance rather than genuine engagement; (3) surveillance disproportionately affects neurodiverse students, students with disabilities, and those in unstable living conditions; (4) the projected growth of the global e-learning market suggests that surveillance features are becoming standard; and (5) alternative assessment methods can uphold academic integrity while safeguarding student privacy and autonomy. The paper concludes with recommendations for ethically leveraging technology to foster student agency and authentic learning, rather than simply monitoring compliance.
Keywords: Learning management systems, pedagogical tools, surveillance functionalities, technological integration