Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution

Academic institutions such as the University of South Africa (Unisa) are using information and communication technology (ICT) in order to conduct their daily primary operations, which are teaching and learning. Unisa is the only distance learning university in South Africa and also in Africa. Unisa...

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Main Authors: Peter Mkhize, Emmanuel Samuel Mtsweni, Portia Buthelezi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Athabasca University Press 2016-05-01
Series:International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2191
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author Peter Mkhize
Emmanuel Samuel Mtsweni
Portia Buthelezi
author_facet Peter Mkhize
Emmanuel Samuel Mtsweni
Portia Buthelezi
author_sort Peter Mkhize
collection DOAJ
description Academic institutions such as the University of South Africa (Unisa) are using information and communication technology (ICT) in order to conduct their daily primary operations, which are teaching and learning. Unisa is the only distance learning university in South Africa and also in Africa. Unisa currently has the highest number of students on the continent of Africa. In an attempt to bridge the gap between facilitators and students, Unisa introduced a learning management system known as myUnisa. MyUnisa is used by facilitators and students as a tool to conduct teaching and learning, and for communication. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, factors that influence its acceptance and usage have not been studied prior to this study. The main deciders of the success of technology are the users, as is reflected in the well-established theories and models that exist to evaluate the acceptance of technology and innovation. The objective of this study was to understand the factors that contribute to the usage of myUnisa by students. An online questionnaire was used for data collection, and a quantitative analysis was conducted. Among others, the results reveal that complexity does not have a significant impact on the students' decision to use myUnisa.
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spelling doaj.art-0a270aeb6bd740aa86f82601654715ad2022-12-21T21:03:36ZengAthabasca University PressInternational Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning1492-38312016-05-0117310.19173/irrodl.v17i3.2191Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning InstitutionPeter Mkhize0Emmanuel Samuel Mtsweni1Portia Buthelezi2University of South AfricaUniversity of South AfricaUniversity of South AfricaAcademic institutions such as the University of South Africa (Unisa) are using information and communication technology (ICT) in order to conduct their daily primary operations, which are teaching and learning. Unisa is the only distance learning university in South Africa and also in Africa. Unisa currently has the highest number of students on the continent of Africa. In an attempt to bridge the gap between facilitators and students, Unisa introduced a learning management system known as myUnisa. MyUnisa is used by facilitators and students as a tool to conduct teaching and learning, and for communication. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, factors that influence its acceptance and usage have not been studied prior to this study. The main deciders of the success of technology are the users, as is reflected in the well-established theories and models that exist to evaluate the acceptance of technology and innovation. The objective of this study was to understand the factors that contribute to the usage of myUnisa by students. An online questionnaire was used for data collection, and a quantitative analysis was conducted. Among others, the results reveal that complexity does not have a significant impact on the students' decision to use myUnisa.http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2191open distance learninglearning management systemonline learningODLhigher education
spellingShingle Peter Mkhize
Emmanuel Samuel Mtsweni
Portia Buthelezi
Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution
International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning
open distance learning
learning management system
online learning
ODL
higher education
title Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution
title_full Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution
title_fullStr Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution
title_full_unstemmed Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution
title_short Diffusion of Innovations Approach to the Evaluation of Learning Management System Usage in an Open Distance Learning Institution
title_sort diffusion of innovations approach to the evaluation of learning management system usage in an open distance learning institution
topic open distance learning
learning management system
online learning
ODL
higher education
url http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2191
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AT emmanuelsamuelmtsweni diffusionofinnovationsapproachtotheevaluationoflearningmanagementsystemusageinanopendistancelearninginstitution
AT portiabuthelezi diffusionofinnovationsapproachtotheevaluationoflearningmanagementsystemusageinanopendistancelearninginstitution