7 research outputs found
The Usability of E-learning Platforms in Higher Education: A Systematic Mapping Study
The use of e-learning in higher education has increased significantly in recent years, which has led to several studies being conducted to investigate the usability of the platforms that support it. A variety of different usability evaluation methods and attributes have been used, and it has therefore become important to start reviewing this work in a systematic way to determine how the field has developed in the last 15 years. This paper describes a systematic mapping study that performed searches on five electronic libraries to identify usability issues and methods that have been used to evaluate e-learning platforms. Sixty-one papers were selected and analysed, with the majority of studies using a simple research design reliant on questionnaires. The usability attributes measured were mostly related to effectiveness, satisfaction, efficiency, and perceived ease of use. Furthermore, several research gaps have been identified and recommendations have been made for further work in the area of the usability of online learning
Design and Usability Evaluation of Adaptive e-learning Systems Based on Learner Knowledge and Learning Style
International audienceDesigning effective adaptive e-learning systems, from a usability perspective, represents a challenge because of the complexity of adaptivity in order to meet the diverse requirements of learners. Furthermore, there is a lack of well-designed experimental evaluation of adaptive e-learning systems in general, and of their usability in particular. The aim of this paper is the presentation of an adaptive e-learning system based on learner knowledge and learning style, and of the results of an initial experimental evaluation of the usability of its two modes of operation. This involves comparing the usability of an adaptive version of the system with the usability of a non-adaptive version, in a learning environment with 75 participants. The experiment produced significant results; they indicate that an adaptive e-learning system based on learner knowledge and learning style has a higher level of perceived usability than a non-adaptive e-learning system. This may also increase the level of satisfaction, engagement and motivation of learners and therefore enhance their learning