Ready, Click, Go! Evaluating the Readiness and Usability of an E-learning Portal from Students’ Point of View

Abstract

The world of education institutions has witnessed rapid developments in E-learning styles, especially in the past few years. These developments also included learning management systems (LMS). Such systems can be assessed using the technology acceptance model (TAM) and system usability scale (SUS). In this study, TAM and SUS were utilized to investigate the learning experience of engineering students on their LMS and their perception of its usefulness and accessibility. A field study of 200 users was conducted in this investigation. The results showed that 27% of students expressed a “good” and “excellent” usability experience with the LMS whereas 60% of students expressed an “average” experience. The results also showed that more than 50% of students agreed with the statements of perceived usefulness, but they were generally neutral with the ease-of-use of the LMS. Further, statistical results showed that students who had a positive experience with the LMS were statistically significantly more in agreement with its usefulness but not how easy it is to be used. This indicated that students could develop an attitude towards the LMS, thus affecting their actual use of the LMS. The study could potentially indicate the advantages and disadvantages of LMS’s in terms of interaction and user experience from the students’ point of view.