Usability Test
for the online course
Creating and Developing my ePortfolio
To evaluate my online course, performing a functionality test involving my stakeholders is vital. The earlier I identify problems, the easier they are to fix. To conduct this evaluation, I followed these steps:
It is crucial to start with a clear goal and figure out the questions I am trying to answer with this test. I designed a Usability Test through a Google Form with twelve questions. It includes questions with Likert scales, small tasks to perform, and a space for feedback/improvement/suggestions. With this survey, I am measuring functionality, the flow of information, and relevant content.
The research shows that a good practice for starting is to recruit 3 to 5 people, focussing on potential participants; many stakeholders can influence my course design, but I considered my ePortfolio team members the first group to share it. The time is also essential when recruiting the testers to ensure their cooperation; it should be no longer than thirty-five minutes.
The invitation with the survey and code for the class was e-mailed to five of my stakeholders. Three colleagues performed the Usability test.
The responses were analyzed with the tool that Google Forms provides. Although only two participants were familiar with the Google Platform, they could all perform the task I was asking them to do. They feel confident navigating the course and find it relevant to their curriculums, so they are willing to take it. It was only a suggestion from one of the participants about the assignment instructions. He suggested they should be more specific.
Results
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I recruited the right people since the ePortfolio team members will be the primary users.
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The Impact of using the Google Classroom platform on the usability test contributed to positive results. It is user-friendly and accessible. Two of my testers were familiar with it, making navigation easier.
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The lesson I learned from the usability testing feedback is to be more specific in the assignment instructions. My experience of previously taking an ePortfolio course could influence this issue; I realized that when taking this course for the first time, the instructions need to be clear and specific.
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I address this usability test issue by fixing the assignment instructions and making them more explicit.
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Feedback is vital when developing online courses; it helped me improve the course's functionality and create a better learning experience to succeed in the course.
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Since the issue was fixed, the detected issue did not affect the course. The outcomes activities and assessment are still aligned.
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Although the overall usability test had a positive outcome, more issues could be found. At the end of the course, a survey is sent to the learners to evaluate it. I am open to suggestions to make improvements.
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