Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system
Universities have been utilizing various synchronous and asynchronous methods embedded in digital learning tools to continue the teaching-learning process. Among these tools, known as learning management systems (LMSs), Moodle holds a distinct position due to its scalability, user-friendliness, and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Computers in Human Behavior Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958825001009 |
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| author | Dimah Al-Fraihat Abdulaziz M. Alshahrani Maram Alzaidi Aijaz A. Shaikh Mohammed Al-Obeidallah Manaf Al-Okaily |
| author_facet | Dimah Al-Fraihat Abdulaziz M. Alshahrani Maram Alzaidi Aijaz A. Shaikh Mohammed Al-Obeidallah Manaf Al-Okaily |
| author_sort | Dimah Al-Fraihat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Universities have been utilizing various synchronous and asynchronous methods embedded in digital learning tools to continue the teaching-learning process. Among these tools, known as learning management systems (LMSs), Moodle holds a distinct position due to its scalability, user-friendliness, and ease of use. However, despite its widespread adoption, there is a lack of focused research evaluating factors that influence Moodle adoption and usage in university environments, particularly in developed countries. This lack of investigation is critical because even minor usability shortcomings can lead to reduced student engagement, lower satisfaction, and hindered educational outcomes. Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore students' experiences and feedback regarding Moodle's design, layout, and overall usability to enhance its effectiveness and better align with contemporary educational demands. In this study, we collected students' insights regarding the design and layout features of the Moodle system and whether these features play a decisive role in the adoption or discontinuation of the Moodle LMS. An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect the opinions of 103 university students who were enrolled in several courses conducted online using Moodle as the primary LMS. Qualitative data analysis was conducted and seven major themes related to the factors influencing the success of the Moodle LMS were identified. Key findings reveal that usability issues, such as system features and content design quality, significantly hinder student experiences, while positive aspects, such as overall satisfaction and usefulness, highlight areas of strength. The implications for educators, system administrators, and policymakers are discussed, along with limitations and future research directions. This study not only addresses a critical gap in the literature but also offers practical insights for enhancing LMS effectiveness in e-learning environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-80b1d7b727fc4bf2bde4f3abf72e0fa5 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2451-9588 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Computers in Human Behavior Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-80b1d7b727fc4bf2bde4f3abf72e0fa52025-08-20T02:37:45ZengElsevierComputers in Human Behavior Reports2451-95882025-05-011810068510.1016/j.chbr.2025.100685Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management systemDimah Al-Fraihat0Abdulaziz M. Alshahrani1Maram Alzaidi2Aijaz A. Shaikh3Mohammed Al-Obeidallah4Manaf Al-Okaily5Department of Software Engineering, Faculty of Information Technology, Isra University, 11622, Amman, Jordan; Corresponding author.Information Technology Department, Faculty of Computer and Information Systems, Islamic University of Madinah, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Computer Science, College of Computers and Information Technology, Taif University, Taif, Saudi ArabiaThe Institute of Information and Computational Technologies, KazakhstanDepartment of Computer Science and Information Technology, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, UAESchool of Business, Jadara University, Irbid, Jordan; School of Business, The University of Jordan, Amman, JordanUniversities have been utilizing various synchronous and asynchronous methods embedded in digital learning tools to continue the teaching-learning process. Among these tools, known as learning management systems (LMSs), Moodle holds a distinct position due to its scalability, user-friendliness, and ease of use. However, despite its widespread adoption, there is a lack of focused research evaluating factors that influence Moodle adoption and usage in university environments, particularly in developed countries. This lack of investigation is critical because even minor usability shortcomings can lead to reduced student engagement, lower satisfaction, and hindered educational outcomes. Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore students' experiences and feedback regarding Moodle's design, layout, and overall usability to enhance its effectiveness and better align with contemporary educational demands. In this study, we collected students' insights regarding the design and layout features of the Moodle system and whether these features play a decisive role in the adoption or discontinuation of the Moodle LMS. An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect the opinions of 103 university students who were enrolled in several courses conducted online using Moodle as the primary LMS. Qualitative data analysis was conducted and seven major themes related to the factors influencing the success of the Moodle LMS were identified. Key findings reveal that usability issues, such as system features and content design quality, significantly hinder student experiences, while positive aspects, such as overall satisfaction and usefulness, highlight areas of strength. The implications for educators, system administrators, and policymakers are discussed, along with limitations and future research directions. This study not only addresses a critical gap in the literature but also offers practical insights for enhancing LMS effectiveness in e-learning environments.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958825001009Moodle learning management system (moodle LMS)Information system success model (ISSM)E-Learning successHigher educationStudent perceptionsQualitative method |
| spellingShingle | Dimah Al-Fraihat Abdulaziz M. Alshahrani Maram Alzaidi Aijaz A. Shaikh Mohammed Al-Obeidallah Manaf Al-Okaily Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system Computers in Human Behavior Reports Moodle learning management system (moodle LMS) Information system success model (ISSM) E-Learning success Higher education Student perceptions Qualitative method |
| title | Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system |
| title_full | Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system |
| title_fullStr | Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system |
| title_short | Exploring students’ perceptions of the design and use of the Moodle learning management system |
| title_sort | exploring students perceptions of the design and use of the moodle learning management system |
| topic | Moodle learning management system (moodle LMS) Information system success model (ISSM) E-Learning success Higher education Student perceptions Qualitative method |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958825001009 |
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