Performance assessment of an e‐learning software system for sustainability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the performance of an e‐learning software system to ensure its teaching and learning quality, contextual relevance and longer operational life to achieve economies of scale. Design/methodology/approach – A Goal‐Question‐Metric (GQM) paradigm along with the ISO 9126 quality characteristics is proposed to assess performance of an in‐house e‐learning software system in terms of its functionality, usability, efficiency and effectiveness. The e‐learning software system was designed and implemented for teaching staff of developing countries attending the T&L “train the trainer” course at the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), Manila, Philippines. The data were collected from the participants from 20 countries who attended the program over a period of three years. Findings – The approach was very effective for assessing and evaluating various functions of the web‐based teaching and learning software system and assessing its suitability in teaching and learning, and interaction among the users. The findings were utilized to further improve the management and quality of the training program. Research limitations/implications – Commitment and participation of stakeholders/users is required to appropriately define the assessment goals, generate underlying questions that define those goals, and identify the metrics that provide answers to those questions. The research has limitations similar to any other questionnaire based subjective data collection method, much relying upon the respondent judgments. Therefore, a sound mechanism for data collection, validation and analysis needs to be employed to ensure internal consistency and accuracy. Social implications – Many e‐learning software systems are accessed across the globe and are utilized by a number of institutions simultaneously while crossing over national and geographical boundaries. Therefore, performance assessment based on different ethical and social values and language barriers, to meet the clientele requirements belonging to different social backgrounds, is essential. Also this research provides many guidelines to reduce the customization requirements for different nationalities, and therefore, makes overall implementation of the learning management system more efficient and cost effective. Originality/value – Due to the generic nature of GQM approach, this framework can be applied to undertake performance assessment of an in‐house built, web‐based teaching and learning system using the selected ISO 9126 quality characteristics to ensure the appropriateness, longevity and sustainability of the learning system.