Typographic Effect on Learning Management System Effectiveness

Abstract

Learning Management Systems (LMS) harness and share knowledge. The most extensive and well-populated knowledge networks are useless if they remain underutilized, with lower performing students 40% less likely to effectively use the LMS than higher performing peers. This study investigated the effect of four typographic elements—typeface, size, alignment, and emphasis—on perceived knowledge sharing effectiveness. With a sample size of 108 participants, typeface, size, alignment, and emphasis each had a significant (p < .05) effect on knowledge sharing effectiveness. Arial was the preferred typeface (p < .0001), 12-point the preferred font size (p = .0001), left or justified the preferred alignment (p < .0001), and sentence case the preferred emphasis (p < .0001). The ease and increased prevalence of adjusting these typographic elements thus leads to potential adverse effects on student use of LMS and their learning outcomes.