Effectiveness of Makerere University E-learning Environment (Muele) in the Lens of Delone and Mclean’s (2003) Information Systems Success Model: a Qualitative Study

The global trend of embracing electronic learning (e-learning) in higher education raises a crucial need to have evidence of achieving the investment goals. In other words, policy makers and managers are faced with a question as to whether their decisions to invest in ICT in teaching and learning have yielded the intended goals or not. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore how different stakeholders in Makerere University perceived effectiveness of Makerere University E-Learning Environment (MUELE). The study was guided by the DeLone and McLean’s (2003) information systems success model which suggested six dimensions of effectiveness of MUELE. These dimensions were, namely, net benefits of MUELE, use of MUELE, user satisfaction with MUELE, quality of information uploaded on MUELE, quality of performance of MUELE and quality of technical support received by MUELE. We used a qualitative approach of research to collect data from participants using interviews and analysed them using the thematic framework method (Gale et al. 2013). Hence, we found out that on four of the dimensions (net benefits of use of MUELE, use of MUELE, user satisfaction with MUELE, and quality of information generated by MUELE),participants neither perceived MUELE as effective nor non effective. However, on the other two dimensions (quality of performance of MUELE and quality of technical support received by the user of MUELE), participants perceived MUELE as effective. We hence gave recommendations.