Selecting a learning management system (LMS) in developing countries: instructors' evaluation

Learning management systems (LMSs) contain hidden costs, unclear user environments, bulky developer and administration manuals, and limitations with regard to interoperability, integration, localization, and bandwidth requirements. Careful evaluation is required in selecting the most appropriate LMS for use, and this is a general problem in web-based education. One possibility is to automate this evaluation process using computer-aided techniques. In this article, the researcher has focused on the idea of automating the evaluation process and has developed a computer-aided system named Easy Way to Evaluate LMSs (EW-LMS), for the quick and efficient evaluation of LMSs, especially for developing countries, where the idea of using an LMS may be relatively new. The investigation described in this article was carried out with 88 voluntary higher education instructors to test the usefulness of the developed system. Two types of quantitative questionnaires were used during the study. The results obtained indicate that the instructors were highly satisfied using the developed system, and the EW-LMS is technically sound and well developed. Theevaluation system can help instructors to select the best LMS appropriate to their educational needs and their type of usage in the shortest possible time, with little effort, without any specialized technical knowledge/training and by following simple, user-friendly steps. The system is oriented to anyone interested in evaluating and using an LMS in web-based education. Those individuals who may be interested in using this software are instructors, students, or anyone else who may have an interest in LMSs, and educational organizations such as universities, schools, and institutes.

[1]  Randolph B. Cooper,et al.  Exploring the Core Concepts of Media Richness Theory: The Impact of Cue Multiplicity and Feedback Immediacy on Decision Quality , 2003, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[2]  Luca Botturi,et al.  Evaluating LMS Usability for Enhanced eLearning Experience , 2006 .

[3]  Somaiya Naidu,et al.  E-Learning: A Guidebook of Principles, Procedures and Practices , 2003 .

[4]  M. Kljun,et al.  Evaluating Comparisons and Evaluations of Learning Management Systems , 2007, 2007 29th International Conference on Information Technology Interfaces.

[5]  Luis L. Martins,et al.  A Model of Business School Students' Acceptance of a Web-Based Course , 2004 .

[6]  Karel Cool,et al.  Business strategy, market structure and risk-return relationships: a structural approach , 1989 .

[7]  H. Raiffa,et al.  Decisions with Multiple Objectives , 1993 .

[8]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies , 2000, Management Science.

[9]  Alain Senteni,et al.  Information and Communications Technology Integration and Developmental Intervention: Enabling Knowledge Creation and Capacity Building in Developing Countries’ Organizations , 2006 .

[10]  Yi-Shun Wang,et al.  Measuring e-learning systems success in an organizational context: Scale development and validation , 2007, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[11]  Steven R. Malikowski,et al.  External factors associated with adopting a CMS in resident college courses , 2006, Internet High. Educ..

[12]  Huseyin Uzunboylu,et al.  An Evaluation of Open Source Learning Management Systems According to Learners Tools. , 2006 .

[13]  Nadire Cavus,et al.  The evaluation of Learning Management Systems using an artificial intelligence fuzzy logic algorithm , 2010, Adv. Eng. Softw..

[14]  Vivian H. Wright,et al.  Faculty Uses of and Attitudes toward a Course Management System in Improving Instruction. , 2006 .

[15]  Charalambos Vrasidas.  Educational Technology in Cyprus and Strategies for Higher Education , 2002 .

[16]  Dogan Ibrahim,et al.  Assessing the Success Rate of Students Using a Learning Management System Together with a Collaborative Tool in Web-Based Teaching of Programming Languages , 2007 .

[17]  Keenan A. Pituch,et al.  The influence of system characteristics on e-learning use , 2006, Comput. Educ..

[18]  Narasimha Bolloju,et al.  Explaining the intentions to share and reuse knowledge in the context of IT service operations , 2005, J. Knowl. Manag..

[19]  Barbara Ann Frey.  Enhancing Face-to-Face Courses with a Course Management System. , 2005 .

[20]  Richard Walker,et al.  A longitudinal perspective regarding the use of VLEs by higher education institutions in the United Kingdom , 2006, Interact. Learn. Environ..

[21]  David A. Falvo,et al.  The Use of Learning Management Systems in the United States , 2007 .

[22]  Nadire Cavus.  The application of a multi-attribute decision-making algorithm to learning management systems evaluation , 2011, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[23]  Mark Grabe,et al.  Optional student use of online lecture resources: resource preferences, performance and lecture attendance , 2007, J. Comput. Assist. Learn..

[24]  Charles R. Graham,et al.  Understanding the experiences of instructors as they adopt a course management system , 2007 .

[25]  Yacov Y. Haimes,et al.  Multiobjective Decision Making: Theory and Methodology , 1983 .

[26]  Ramon Garrote Jurado,et al.  Lecturers' attitudes about the use of learning management systems in engineering education: A Swedish case study , 2007 .

[27]  Dogan Ibrahim,et al.  m-Learning: An experiment in using SMS to support learning new English language words , 2009, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[28]  Terry Pearce,et al.  The Internationalisation of Higher Education: Exporting Education to Developing and Transitional Economies , 2003 .

[29]  Evan E. Anderson,et al.  Choice Models for the Evaluation and Selection of Software Packages , 1990, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[30]  Markku Tukiainen,et al.  Development of the TUP model - evaluating educational software , 2004, IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, 2004. Proceedings..

[31]  P. Hewson,et al.  Accommodation of a scientific conception: Toward a theory of conceptual change , 1982 .

[32]  Vladimir Batagelj,et al.  Knowledge engineering techniques for utility identification , 1988 .

[33]  Michel Labour,et al.  Increasing Interoperability of E-Learning Content in Moodle within a Franco-Arabo Educative Context. , 2010 .

[34]  Andri Ioannou,et al.  Deficiencies of Course Management Systems: Do Students Care? , 2008 .

[35]  Chorng-Shyong Ong,et al.  Factors affecting engineers' acceptance of asynchronous e-learning systems in high-tech companies , 2004, Inf. Manag..

[36]  Borka Jerman-Blazic,et al.  Application of Multi-Attribute Decision Making Approach to Learning Management Systems Evaluation , 2007, J. Comput..

[37]  Michael E. Beeth,et al.  Teaching for Conceptual Change , 1998 .

[38]  Nikleia Eteokleous,et al.  Evaluating computer technology integration in a centralized school system , 2008, Comput. Educ..

[39]  Hassan M. Selim,et al.  An empirical investigation of student acceptance of course websites , 2003, Comput. Educ..

[40]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View , 2003, MIS Q..

[41]  Jason D. Baker,et al.  Hybrid structures: Faculty use and perception of web-based courseware as a supplement to face-to-face instruction , 2004, Internet High. Educ..

[42]  Erik M. van Raaij,et al.  The acceptance and use of a virtual learning environment in China , 2008, Comput. Educ..

[43]  Beate List,et al.  An evaluation of open source e-learning platforms stressing adaptation issues , 2005, Fifth IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT'05).

[44]  Youngjin Yoo,et al.  Media and Group Cohesion: Relative Influences on Social Presence, Task Participation, and Group Consensus , 2001, MIS Q..

[45]  Michael Singh,et al.  Globalizing Flexible Work in Universities: Socio-technical dilemmas in internationalizing education , 2005 .

[46]  EDUCAUSE CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH 73 Faculty Use of Course Management Systems , 2003 .

[47]  Nadire Cavus,et al.  Computer aided evaluation of learning management systems , 2009 .

[48]  Jon Baggaley,et al.  Open Source Software: Fully Featured vs. "The Devil You Know" , 2005 .