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Virtual Learning Environments – How usable are they?

Virtual Learning Environments – How usable are they?. Ian Cole Lecturer in Information & Communication Technology University of York United Kingdom. Usability. “Usability is a tool that should be in the kit of all software designers/programmers”. “It’s always about People”.

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Virtual Learning Environments – How usable are they?

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  1. Virtual Learning Environments – How usable are they? Ian Cole Lecturer in Information & Communication Technology University of York United Kingdom

  2. Usability • “Usability is a tool that should be in the kit of all software designers/programmers”. • “It’s always about People”. • “Usability has grown into a monster”. Quotes from: Usability Must Die Web Site

  3. Usability • The primary notion of usability is that objects are designed to be: • more efficient to use — it takes less time to accomplish a particular task. • easier to learn — operation can be learned by observing the object. • more satisfying to use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability

  4. Design for usability

  5. Examples of interesting usability

  6. Is this good usability? http://www.apogeehk.com/

  7. Visibility Affordance & Feedback • Visibility • We can see a button on a VLE. • Affordance • We think we know what's going to happen when we press it. • Feedback • We get feedback by being able to see the content behind the button.

  8. Taken from the FERL website http://ferl.becta.org.uk/

  9. Criteria for VLE usability • Use Jakob Nielsen’s ‘framework of system acceptability’ where usability is a part of the usefulness of a system. • Learnability. • Efficiency of use. • Memorability. • Few and Noncatastrophic Errors. • Subjective Satisfaction.

  10. Criteria for VLE usability • Ben Shneiderman’s criteria list for usability testing. • Images. • Readability. • Use of colour. • Navigation. • Interactivity. • Learning to use the VLE inc learning styles. • System capabilities. • General and overall reactions. • Accessibility.

  11. Criteria for VLE usability • 100 questions based on The Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction (QUIS) tool. • If possible use a team of tester and real users (students). • No expert testers. • Tester interacts with the VLE for the first time.

  12. Criteria for VLE usability • Cognitive Walkthrough Experiment • Grounded in Lewis & Polson’s CE+ Theory • Four step information processing model: • The user sets a goal to be accomplished with the system. • The user searches the interface for available actions. • The user selects the action that seems likely to make progress toward a goal. • The user performs an action and evaluates the system's feedback for evidence that progress is being made. • Video the Experiment. • Map results against the usability team & Students responses.

  13. Comparative usability studies • 2 usability studies. • 2 commercial VLE’s. • One from USA - One from UK. • Same size groups of testers & users. • Tester not given training to use VLE. • Students were given training. • Common issues to both.

  14. Comparative VLE issues • Getting lost in a VLE is easy. • The flexibility of the VLE for dyslexic users is poor. • Colours within the VLE • The flexibility of a VLE for visually impaired users (i.e. changing text size) is inadequate. • Personalising the VLE screen is difficult. • Poor navigation & instruction. • Synchronous tools not as good as free chat room software (MSN messenger & ICQ) . • Users would like ‘easy setup’ of external e-mail accounts (hotmail).

  15. A VLE at the University of York? • Slow in adopting a VLE. • Lots of small scale use of VLE use. • 5 VLE’s across campus. • Health Sciences waited. • Student Intranet • Free online services (Ezboard, chat rooms & Smartgroup) • 2003 Learning Technologist appointed.

  16. A VLE at the University of York? • 2004 tender process. • Jan 2005 Blackboard academic suite. purchased. • June 05 until Dec 05 prototype courses • A Health Economics DL course. • A Health Sciences Post-Grad course. • Jan 06 until July 06 pilot courses. • Bb integrated across the Uni end 06.

  17. A VLE for the NHS • Move to modernise the UK NHS. • NHS northern region e-Learning strategy. • A partnership approach – NHS, University of Hull & University of York. • VLE to deliver/support NHS training.

  18. A VLE for the NHS • June 03: NHS e-Learning strategy workshop. • Aug 03: Co-opted onto e-Learning steering group . • Jan 04 VLE provider chosen. • Sept 04 First blended course delivered. • Usability study performed. • Main issue asynchronous tool needs improvement.

  19. A VLE for the NHS • VLE now has 14 number of courses running. • 3E’s (Evaluation into Effective e-Learning) project to evaluate the impact of elearning & the VLE on the participating NHS trusts. • Positive partnership between VLE supplier and NHS. • VLE release was rushed out before the usability study.

  20. Abstract Questions • How good is the usability of commercial & open source VLE’s? • Can we rely on VLE’s to provide the required levels of functionally and easy of use we want? • Do we spend large amounts of time & money hammering a square peg into a round hole in an effort to make a VLE fit our needs?

  21. Thank You • If anybody is interested in my work • Type ‘Ian J Cole’ into Google • My University home page is open access. • Contains lots of resources, workbooks, links to materials. • Use them if you find them useful • http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~ijc4/

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