Improving User Experience in Learning Management Systems : A Case Study of Canvas at KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Abstract: Learning Management Systems (LMSs) are key pieces of software that enable efficient communication between course administrators and students. It is important that they are both easy to use and reliable in order to facilitate education as much as possible, however, there are cases in which these criteria are not met. This study aims to investigate Canvas, the LMS used at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), to find whether there are any areas of it which could be improved in order to increase student satisfaction. The main research method was a survey, which received a total of 175 responses. The results of evaluating said responses suggest that the most significant problem with Canvas at KTH is not the LMS itself, but KTH’s inconsistent use of it. Previous research highlights consistency as an essential part of a usable system, and as such, student dissatisfaction due to inconsistencies is not surprising. To counteract these issues, we recommend that KTH introduces some form of standard template for new course pages, hopefully increasing both usability and student satisfaction.