Abstract
Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become a common feature in contemporary higher education institutions globally. In recent years, LMS have been adopted in some higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania, however, there are limited research in this area, which could hinder future developments. Therefore, this study investigates the adoption and usage of LMS as pedagogical tool among students and instructors at the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA). The methodology used in this study included the review of the literature, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. The study was conducted in Zanzibar from March 2016 to March 2017. A total of 431 students and 10 instructors participated in this study. The participants were selected based on the courses that have been involved in the pilot study. Microsoft Excel was used to present the findings in figures and tables. The findings reveal that 70% of instructors and 44.4% of students showed preferences to LMS system as a tools to be used in teaching and learning and 26.1% of students were neither agree nor disagree. However, there are various challenges influencing the level of use of LMS including, internet connections, access to computers, unfamiliar with Moodle and integration of LMS with others university systems. Overall, the study provided an insight into the environment surrounding the early adoption phases of LMS in SUZA, which offers a better understanding of the phenomenon. Subsequently, this will help enhance the adoption process in current contexts and assist in future utilization of LMS systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Mtebe, J.S.: Learning management system success: increasing learning management system usage in higher education in sub-Saharan. Afr. Int. J. Educ. Dev. Inf. Commun. Technol. (IJEDICT) 11(2), 51–64 (2015)
Bernard, R.M., et al.: A meta-analysis of three interaction treatments in distance education. Rev. Educ. Res. 79(3), 1243–1289 (2009)
Black, E.W., et al.: The other side of the LMS: considering implementation and use in the adoption of an LMS in online and blended learning environments. TechTrends 51(2), 35–41 (2007)
Suleman, H.: Flipping a course on computer architecture. In: Gruner, S. (ed.) SACLA 2016. CCIS, vol. 642, pp. 83–94. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47680-3_8
Becker, W.E., Watts, M.: Chalk and talk: a national survey on teaching undergraduate economics. Am. Econ. Rev. 86(2), 448–453 (1996). http://www.jstor.org/stable/2118168
Lage, M.J., Platt, G.J., Treglia, M.: Inverting the classroom: a gateway to creating an inclusive learning environment. J. Econ. Educ. 31(1), 30–43 (2000). https://doi.org/10.2307/1183338
Acknowledgement
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the DANIDA through BSU II project for funding this pilot study and all participants from the State University of Zanzibar who contributed in one way or another to the work embodied in this project.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mgeni, M.S., Ismail, M.J., Yunus, S.A., Haji, H.A. (2019). The Contribution of LMS to the Learning Environment: Views from the State University of Zanzibar. In: Mendy, G., Ouya, S., Dioum, I., Thiaré, O. (eds) e-Infrastructure and e-Services for Developing Countries. AFRICOMM 2018. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 275. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16042-5_27
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16042-5_27
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-16041-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-16042-5
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)