Collaborate, network, learn, and grow: Evaluating the usability of a technology resource website for teachers

K-12 educators are expected to have a working knowledge of current technology tools and classroom integration practices through attending professional development opportunities during the school year. By continually honing their teaching practices, educators are better equipped to instruct their students using relevant technology tools. Teachers at a private elementary school on Oahu engage in training experiences provided by their own institution. Administrators wanted to consolidate present methods of facilitating training into one common website for their teachers. As the institution’s technology coordinator, I work directly with faculty members to integrate technology into classroom teaching. This website facilitates my meetings with faculty and provides a digital archive for teaching and training materials. The purpose of this usability study was to assess the organization of the content, navigational efficiency, and user satisfaction of a technology resource website (focusing on Web 2.0 tools for cloud computing, professional learning networks, and blended/flipped classrooms) for elementary teachers at a local private school on Oahu. Peer feedback led to simplifying the content volume of each web page, clearly labeling page titles, and adding buttons to assist in navigation throughout the website. This paper will examine the design changes implemented, compare the resource website before and after modification, and discuss the theoretical frameworks and instructional design models that informed design choices