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”.  “Usability has grown into a monster”. Quotes from: Usability Must Die Web Site

 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. Usability

Design for usability

Examples of interesting usability

Is this good usability?

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.

Taken from the FERL website

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.

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.

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.

 Cognitive Walkthrough Experiment  Grounded in Lewis & Polson’s CE+ Theory Four step information processing model: 1. The user sets a goal to be accomplished with the system. 2. The user searches the interface for available actions. 3. The user selects the action that seems likely to make progress toward a goal. 4. 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. Criteria for VLE usability

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.

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 accounts (hotmail).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 