EVALUATING LEARNING-SUPPORT SYSTEMS USABILITY: AN EMPIRICAL APPROACH

Usability is a key attribute affecting information technology systems acceptance and adoption by users in instructional settings. This is due to the system’s role as mediator between instructors and learners. Indeed, a basic condition for usable e-learning systems is that users are able to concentrate on the content rather than on the system. This requires integrated, systematic and user-based evaluation to help design learning-centered experiences. However, usability in educational support systems is also affected by contextual factors. Furthermore, methods that address both the technical and pedagogical dimensions in context of use are still a research issue. Such methods might help organizations who want to remain competitive, to identify what factors are most important when adopting technology-supported learning solutions to implement an effective learning process. In this paper, we describe an integrated usability evaluation method empirically tested within an instructional setting at our university. We developed a prototype system to support the internal teaching process and evaluated its role in a technology-supported learning experience. Our results indicate that a learning-support system must adequately meet the needs of the instructional process and support learners ’ behaviors and actions. These results also show that consistent online and offline communication between stakeholders is crucial to effective learning. While this paper describes ongoing research, we expect that our experience will provide insights and a better understanding on how to evaluate and improve e-learning system usability from learner feedback and usage patterns