Usability Evaluation of Learning Management Systems in Public Universities in Uganda: Lecturers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Recent studies in Uganda show that Learning Management Systems (LMS) were not usable, and some were complex to use, making it difficult for lecturers to use the platforms. As a result, there has been low uptake and usage of LMS in many universities. To investigate this claim, the study set out to evaluate the usability of LMS in four public universities in Uganda, namely Makerere University, Makerere University Business School, Busitema University and Gulu University. Google Docs was used to design a System Usability Scale (SUS) which was used to evaluate the usability of the LMS in the four public universities. An open-ended questionnaire was also included in the SUS to capture qualitative data. This questionnaire was sent to different staff mailing lists in the four universities. A total of 80 questionnaires were filled and analyzed. The findings showed that the average System Usability Scale score for the LMS used in the four public universities was 60, representing about 30% usability, which is poor. The study identified several usability challenges and ways to address the usability challenges. This paper, therefore, presents an IDSS usability model for improving LMS usability in learning institutions.