Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
5th International Conference on Educational Technology and Online Learning (ICETOL), Balıkesir, Türkiye, 26 - 29 Ağustos 2025, ss.200-204, (Özet Bildiri)
Although distance education has a history of nearly two centuries, it still encounters difficulties in choosing suitable platforms and creating user-friendly interfaces. Learning Management Systems (LMS) used in distance education facilitate automated delivery of course content and monitoring of student progress, with Moodle being one of the most widely adopted open-source platforms. Despite offering a broad array of instructional functionalities, Moodle’s adoption and effective use may be constrained. The system’s usability is influenced by contextual factors specific to the case as well as by the attributes of its users. This study seeks to examine students’ perceptions of Moodle usability, the impact of their perceived effectiveness of distance education on these usability, and the factors influencing their use of Moodle. Employing a case study approach, the research utilized both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. A data collection instrument with three sections was used, including demographic and open-ended perception questions, items on Moodle usage and related challenges, and a 20-item scale measuring Moodle LMS usability. The sample comprised 110 volunteer higher education students from a public university in Türkiye, aged 18 to 23, represented various academic departments. Descriptive statistics indicated that students rated the overall usability of the Moodle LMS at a moderate level, with system quality, perceived satisfaction, and individual performance receiving moderate scores, whereas system interaction and usage intention were rated lower. MANOVA results demonstrated that students’ perceived effectiveness of distance education had a significant impact on their perceptions of Moodle usability, with those perceiving low effectiveness reporting significantly lower scores in system quality, perceived satisfaction, and system interaction compared to those with high perceived effectiveness. Additionally, content analysis revealed that students identified multiple factors influencing their Moodle use, with interface complexity and login/access difficulties being the most frequently reported challenges, alongside technical issues, concerns about content quality, and notification problems, although more than half of the participants indicated no problems. These findings underscore the importance of addressing both technological and contextual factors to enhance Moodle’s usability and support more effective distance education experiences for students. These findings imply that improving Moodle’s usability requires addressing technical issues and students’ perceptions of distance education to enhance engagement and satisfaction