Project – User Experience Design and Continued Use of E-Learning Applications: A Study of Selected Nigerian University Students

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The rapid development of information and communication technologies has significantly transformed the delivery of higher education across the world. E-learning applications, including learning management systems (LMS), virtual classrooms, mobile learning applications and institutionally developed online learning platforms, have become important tools through which universities provide instructional materials, facilitate communication, administer assessments and support interaction between students and lecturers. The growing importance of these applications means that the effectiveness of e-learning can no longer be assessed merely by whether a platform is available; attention must also be given to how students experience the platform during actual use. User experience design is concerned with the perceptions, emotions, ease of interaction, efficiency, usefulness and overall responses that users develop while interacting with a digital product or service. A systematic review of student experience research found that student experience encompasses multiple dimensions and is commonly assessed through factors such as satisfaction, quality and interaction with educational systems and services (Matus, Rusu, & Cano, 2021). Similarly, research on e-learning usability shows that the usability of learning systems influences interactions and student satisfaction, thereby having implications for whether users continue using such systems.

User experience design has therefore become an important consideration in the development and evaluation of e-learning applications. A well-designed learning application is expected to provide students with clear navigation, understandable menus, accessible information, responsive interfaces, efficient task completion and appropriate feedback. When these characteristics are present, students may find it easier to locate learning materials, submit assignments, participate in discussions and monitor their academic progress. Conversely, complicated interfaces, poor navigation, inconsistent layouts, slow responses and unclear instructions can create frustration and reduce students’ willingness to interact with an application. Gunesekera, Bao, and Kibelloh (2019), in their review of usability in e-learning, found that usability concerns affect student–student, student–instructor and student–content interactions and can influence learner satisfaction and continuity of use. More recent research similarly demonstrates that usability factors such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, enjoyment and user perception are important considerations in predicting students’ continued intention to use cloud-based e-learning applications.

The concept of continued use is particularly important because the initial adoption of an e-learning application does not necessarily mean that students will continue using it after their first experiences with the system. Students may initially access an application because their university requires them to do so, but their subsequent use may depend on whether the application meets their expectations and provides sufficient value. Bhattacherjee’s (2001) Expectation-Confirmation Model explains that continuance intention is influenced by users’ satisfaction and their perceived usefulness of continued system use, while satisfaction is shaped by the extent to which previous expectations are confirmed. This distinction between initial acceptance and continued use is important in university e-learning because students may comply with institutional requirements without developing a positive experience with the platform. Thus, continued use represents a stronger indication that students perceive an e-learning application as useful, satisfactory and appropriate for their learning activities.

The relationship between user experience and continued use is also supported by evidence from research on e-learning quality and student satisfaction. A systematic review of online learner satisfaction in higher education identified learner characteristics, engagement and course delivery among the major areas examined in the literature, while program quality, assessment and learner support received comparatively less attention (Martin & Bolliger, 2022). Another systematic review found that system quality was one of the most frequently demonstrated predictors of student satisfaction, alongside instructor and course-material quality; relevant system characteristics included perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, website design, responsiveness, functionality, technical support, compatibility and information quality (Limbu & Pham, 2023). These findings suggest that the technical and experiential characteristics of an e-learning application can influence how students evaluate the platform and whether they are willing to maintain their engagement with it. Consequently, user experience design should be considered an important component of strategies aimed at sustaining students’ use of e-learning applications.

In Nigeria, the importance of user experience in e-learning is particularly significant because universities have increasingly incorporated digital learning platforms into their educational systems. Research on Nigerian students has shown that technology-related factors can influence the acceptance and use of learning management systems. Yakubu and Dasuki (2019) found that performance expectancy and effort expectancy significantly influenced students’ behavioural intention to use Canvas, while facilitating conditions and behavioural intention were important predictors of actual usage. Similarly, Yakubu, Dasuki, Abubakar, and Kah (2020), using data from 1,116 students across four Nigerian universities, found that social influence, facilitating conditions, system quality, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were important predictors of students’ behavioural intention to use LMS, with behavioural intention also predicting actual LMS usage. These findings demonstrate that the Nigerian e-learning environment is affected not only by the availability of technology but also by students’ perceptions of the quality, usefulness and ease of interacting with digital learning systems.

Evidence from Nigerian universities further shows that students’ actual experiences with e-learning platforms involve both positive outcomes and continuing challenges. Balogun, Adeleke, Abdulrahaman, and Shehu (2023), in a study of 333 University of Ilorin students, reported relatively high use and positive perceptions of the quality of the e-learning system during the COVID-19 period, but recommended sustained investment and blended learning beyond the pandemic. Similarly, research involving undergraduate students from seven Nigerian universities in the post-COVID period identified challenges including poor internet connectivity, inadequate access to electronic devices and insufficient training in the use of e-learning platforms (Ottahe et al., 2024). These challenges are important from a user-experience perspective because the quality of students’ interaction with an application is affected not only by interface design but also by the conditions under which the application is accessed. Therefore, understanding continued use among Nigerian university students requires attention to both the design of the application and the broader experience surrounding its use.

Recent Nigerian research has begun to examine user experience directly, thereby demonstrating the growing relevance of the subject to higher education in the country. Okuboyejo, Adekanye, and Ayeni (2025) evaluated learning applications among 397 university students in Nigeria using the User Experience Questionnaire and examined attractiveness, perspicuity, efficiency, dependability, stimulation and novelty. The researchers reported generally positive experiences among students using learning management systems, while novelty recorded the lowest mean dimension. Although such findings provide useful evidence concerning how Nigerian students perceive learning applications, the question of whether a positive user experience translates into continued use remains important. Existing Nigerian studies have extensively examined adoption, acceptance, actual usage, satisfaction and perceptions of e-learning systems, but there remains a need to bring these issues together by specifically examining how user experience design influences students’ willingness to continue using e-learning applications. The present study therefore focuses on selected Nigerian university students to investigate the relationship between user experience design and continued use of e-learning applications.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The increasing use of e-learning applications in Nigerian universities has created opportunities for flexible learning, wider access to educational materials and improved interaction between students and lecturers. However, the existence of an e-learning platform does not automatically guarantee sustained student engagement. Nigerian research has demonstrated that system quality, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and facilitating conditions influence students’ adoption and usage of learning management systems. At the same time, students may encounter infrastructural and technological difficulties that affect their interaction with digital learning platforms. This creates a practical problem for universities because substantial investments in e-learning infrastructure may not produce the desired educational outcomes if students have unsatisfactory experiences while using the applications.

A major problem is that some e-learning applications may be designed primarily around technical functionality rather than the actual experiences and needs of students. Difficult navigation, poorly organised content, unclear instructions, inefficient search functions, inadequate feedback and complicated interfaces can increase the cognitive and practical effort required to complete learning activities. Research has established that usability influences learner interactions and satisfaction, while system quality and perceived ease of use are important factors in e-learning adoption and use. Thus, an application may technically provide lectures, assignments, tests and communication tools but still fail to encourage sustained use if students perceive it as difficult, frustrating or inefficient.

Another problem concerns the difference between initial adoption and continued use. A student may initially use an e-learning application because the institution requires its use, because lecturers instruct students to access course materials through it, or because it is the only available channel for submitting assignments. Such compulsory or situational use does not necessarily indicate that students are satisfied with the application or intend to continue using it voluntarily. Bhattacherjee (2001) established that continuance behaviour differs from initial acceptance and is strongly related to satisfaction, expectation confirmation and perceived usefulness. Consequently, focusing only on whether students have adopted or accessed an e-learning application may provide an incomplete understanding of the sustainability of digital learning in Nigerian universities.

There is also a contextual research gap concerning the relationship between specific user-experience dimensions and continued use among Nigerian university students. Existing Nigerian studies have investigated e-learning adoption, system success, perceptions and usage, while recent work has begun to evaluate user experience directly using established instruments such as the User Experience Questionnaire. However, there is still a need for research that specifically connects dimensions such as attractiveness, perspicuity, efficiency, dependability, stimulation and overall ease of interaction with students’ intention to continue using e-learning applications. This gap is important because a recent Nigerian study found generally positive user experiences among university students, while other Nigerian studies have reported infrastructural, training and access-related challenges. Therefore, the extent to which user experience design influences continued use among students in selected Nigerian universities requires further empirical investigation.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between user experience design and the continued use of e-learning applications among selected Nigerian university students.

The specific objectives are to:

1. examine the influence of attractiveness of e-learning applications on students’ continued use;
2. determine the influence of perspicuity/ease of understanding of e-learning applications on continued use;
3. assess the influence of efficiency of e-learning applications on students’ continued use;
4. examine the influence of dependability/reliability of e-learning applications on continued use; and

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. To what extent does the attractiveness of e-learning applications influence students’ continued use?
2. To what extent does the perspicuity/ease of understanding of e-learning applications influence students’ continued use?
3. To what extent does the efficiency of e-learning applications influence students’ continued use?
4. To what extent does the dependability/reliability of e-learning applications influence students’ continued use?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: User experience design has no significant relationship with the continued use of e-learning applications among selected Nigerian university students.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to university management because it will provide empirical information on how students experience institutional e-learning applications. The findings may assist university administrators in identifying weaknesses in platform design, navigation, accessibility, reliability and functionality that may discourage sustained use.

The study will also be significant to e-learning application developers and instructional technology designers. By identifying the user-experience dimensions that are most closely associated with continued use, developers may be better positioned to design applications that are intuitive, efficient, attractive, dependable and responsive to students’ learning needs.

Lecturers and academic staff may benefit from the study because the effectiveness of online teaching depends partly on students’ willingness and ability to interact continuously with digital learning platforms. The findings may help lecturers understand the technological experiences of students and encourage the adoption of teaching practices that complement the capabilities of e-learning systems.

The study will also benefit students by drawing attention to the importance of their experiences when interacting with digital learning applications. Improved user experience may make it easier for students to access learning materials, communicate with lecturers, participate in online activities and complete academic tasks.

Finally, the study will contribute to academic literature on user experience, e-learning and information-system continuance in Nigeria. It may serve as a useful reference for researchers interested in technology adoption, digital education, human-computer interaction, learning management systems and continued technology use in higher education.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on User Experience Design and Continued Use of E-Learning Applications among Selected Nigerian University Students. The study will concentrate on university students who have experience using e-learning applications or learning management systems for academic purposes.

The study will examine selected dimensions of user experience, including attractiveness, perspicuity, efficiency and dependability, together with students’ overall evaluation of their experience. Continued use will focus on students’ willingness or intention to continue using e-learning applications for academic activities.

Geographically, the study will be limited to selected universities in Nigeria. The restriction to selected institutions is intended to make the study manageable while providing empirical evidence that may contribute to understanding e-learning experiences within the Nigerian university environment.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Continued Use: The willingness or intention of a student to keep using an e-learning application after having gained previous experience with the system.

E-Learning Application: A digital software platform or application used to facilitate teaching, learning, communication, assessment, content delivery and other academic activities through electronic or internet-enabled technologies.

Efficiency: The extent to which an e-learning application enables students to accomplish learning-related tasks quickly, easily and with minimal unnecessary effort.

Dependability: The extent to which students perceive an e-learning application as reliable, stable, predictable and trustworthy during academic use.

Learning Management System (LMS): A software-based system used by educational institutions to manage, deliver and monitor learning activities, course materials, assignments, assessments and communication.

Perspicuity: The extent to which an e-learning application is easy for students to understand, learn and navigate.

User Experience (UX): The overall perceptions, feelings, responses and experiences that students develop while interacting with an e-learning application.

User Experience Design: The process of designing digital systems and interfaces around users’ needs, expectations, behaviours and experiences to make interaction useful, accessible, efficient and satisfactory.

Attractiveness: The extent to which students perceive an e-learning application as visually appealing, pleasant and engaging.

University Students: Individuals formally enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate programmes in the selected Nigerian universities covered by the study.

Project – User Experience Design and Continued Use of E-Learning Applications: A Study of Selected Nigerian University Students