Downloads provided by UsageCountsPlease grant OpenAIRE to access and update your ORCID works.
This Research product is the result of merged Research products in OpenAIRE.
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
This Research product is the result of merged Research products in OpenAIRE.
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
Usability Evaluation of Virtual Learning Environments: A University Case Study
Attila Vertesi; Huseyin Dogan; Angelos Stefanidis;
Attila Vertesi; Huseyin Dogan; Angelos Stefanidis;
Usability Evaluation of Virtual Learning Environments: A University Case Study
Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are widely adopted in higher education to facilitate online methods of content delivery for the lecturers, to enable online submission for the students and to provide course management tools for the administration team. There are a variety of software solutions to choose from, modelled according to heterogeneous needs and functionalities. Despite the existence of clear organisational, pedagogical and technological goals, the procurement and implementation of a VLE is a complex task with significant challenges. We present the case study of a university which went through the process of procuring a new VLE. We examine the usability of each VLE utilising the System Usability Scale (SUS) and capture further feedback from the stakeholders by applying the Interactive Management (IM) methodology. The first part of the research focuses on the three VLEs remaining in contention during the final stages of the procurement process. The results of the usability evaluations are analysed, explained and compared. The second part of the study (Vertesi A, Dogan H, Stefanidis A, Ashton G, Drake W: Usability evaluation of a virtual learning environment: a university case study. In: 15th international Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (CELDA), 21–23 October 2018, Budapest, Hungary, 2018) examines the selected and implemented VLE 6 months after its initiation. A usability test was carried out again on this VLE to examine changes since its launching. Additional feedback was collected from the stakeholders to support the fine-tuning process after the implementation. According to the evaluation of each user group, all the three VLEs performed below the average usability expectation. Generally, students evaluated the usability of the VLEs higher than the academics and administration staff. The usability scores of the students’ evaluation from different courses and years show remarkable differences. The ranked and categorised feedback given by the stakeholders highlights the importance of planning, training and communication prior to and during the implementation process. Usability and learnability play important roles according to the feedback.
- Bournemouth University United Kingdom
Microsoft Academic Graph classification: Engineering management Procurement Higher education business.industry Computer science Process (engineering) System usability scale Virtual learning environment Usability business Variety (cybernetics) Task (project management)
Microsoft Academic Graph classification: Engineering management Procurement Higher education business.industry Computer science Process (engineering) System usability scale Virtual learning environment Usability business Variety (cybernetics) Task (project management)
2513
[1] Paulsen, M. F. (2002). Online Education Systems: Discussion and definition of terms. NKI distance education, 202.
[2] Ryan, S., Scott, B., Freeman, H., & Patel, D. (2013). The virtual university: The internet and resource-based learning. Routledge.
[3] Babić, S. (2012). Factors that influence academic teacher's acceptance of e-learning technology in blended learning environment. E-learning-organizational infrastructure and tools for specific areas, 3-18.
[4] Iso, W. (1998). 9241-11. Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs). The international organization for standardization, 45(9).
[5] Melis, E., Weber, M., & Andrès, E. (2003). Lessons for (pedagogic) usability of eLearning systems. In E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education (pp. 281-284). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
[6] Davis, F. D., Bagozzi, R. P., & Warshaw, P. R. (1989). User acceptance of computer technology: a comparison of two theoretical models. Management science, 35(8), 982-1003.
[7] Brooke, J. (1996). SUS-A quick and dirty usability scale. Usability evaluation in industry, 189(194), 4-7.
[8] Broome, B. J., & Keever, D. B. (1986). Facilitating Group Communication: The Interactive Management Approach.
[9] Renaut, C., Batier, C., Flory, L., & Heyde, M. (2006). Improving web site usability for a better e-learning experience. Current developments in technology-assisted education, 891- 896.
[10] Ayad, K., & Rigas, D. (2010). Comparing virtual classroom, game-based learning and storytelling teachings in e-learning. International Journal of Education and Information Technologies, 4(1), 15-23.
citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).9 popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10% influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).Average impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10% views 49 downloads 74 citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).9 popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10% influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).Average impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10% - 49views74downloads
citations
Citations provided by BIP!
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
Citations provided by BIP!popularityPopularity provided by BIP!
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
Popularity provided by BIP!influenceInfluence provided by BIP!
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
Influence provided by BIP!impulseImpulse provided by BIP!
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
Impulse provided by BIP!viewsViews provided by UsageCounts
Views provided by UsageCountsdownloadsDownloads provided by UsageCounts
Downloads provided by UsageCounts 9
Top 10%
Average
Top 10%
49
74
- Bournemouth University United Kingdom
Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are widely adopted in higher education to facilitate online methods of content delivery for the lecturers, to enable online submission for the students and to provide course management tools for the administration team. There are a variety of software solutions to choose from, modelled according to heterogeneous needs and functionalities. Despite the existence of clear organisational, pedagogical and technological goals, the procurement and implementation of a VLE is a complex task with significant challenges. We present the case study of a university which went through the process of procuring a new VLE. We examine the usability of each VLE utilising the System Usability Scale (SUS) and capture further feedback from the stakeholders by applying the Interactive Management (IM) methodology. The first part of the research focuses on the three VLEs remaining in contention during the final stages of the procurement process. The results of the usability evaluations are analysed, explained and compared. The second part of the study (Vertesi A, Dogan H, Stefanidis A, Ashton G, Drake W: Usability evaluation of a virtual learning environment: a university case study. In: 15th international Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (CELDA), 21–23 October 2018, Budapest, Hungary, 2018) examines the selected and implemented VLE 6 months after its initiation. A usability test was carried out again on this VLE to examine changes since its launching. Additional feedback was collected from the stakeholders to support the fine-tuning process after the implementation. According to the evaluation of each user group, all the three VLEs performed below the average usability expectation. Generally, students evaluated the usability of the VLEs higher than the academics and administration staff. The usability scores of the students’ evaluation from different courses and years show remarkable differences. The ranked and categorised feedback given by the stakeholders highlights the importance of planning, training and communication prior to and during the implementation process. Usability and learnability play important roles according to the feedback.