EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (LMSS) ON PART-TIME LECTURERS' TEACHING PRACTICES AT A SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

The growing adoption of learning management systems (LMS) in higher education institutions has profoundly influenced teaching and learning practices.This study aims to investigate the impact of LMS on part-time lecturers' teaching methods at a South African University of Technology.It will explore the challenges and barriers that these lecturers encounter when integrating Learning Management Systems (LMS) into their teaching, as well as the benefits and opportunities that these systems afford.This research investigates the influence of constructs from the Technological Acceptance Model, specifically Perceived Usability (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), on the adoption and effectiveness of Learning Management Systems (LMS) in educational settings.Employing a qualitative research methodology, the study conducted focus group interviews to examine part-time lecturers' perceptions regarding the use of Learning Management Systems (LMS) within the university.Data was collected from a purposive sample of eight participants.Preliminary findings suggest that part-time lecturers view the Learning Management System (LMS) as a valuable tool for enhancing course content management, facilitating communication, and providing timely feedback to students.The insights gained from this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of learning management systems in enhancing the teaching practices of part-time lecturers and guide the effective implementation of these systems in South African higher education institutions.