Module Three: The Usability Process - Reflection

Reflection

 

Why is it essential to implement the usability process to assess the viability of the innovative proposal?

The usability process is crucial as it helps identify potential obstacles that could impede learning or navigation. Stakeholders play an essential role in this process, offering diverse perspectives that can enhance the course or provide insights from various viewpoints. Each course should be designed to be as clear and comprehensible as possible for all participants, aligned with the learning objectives, and relevant to the desired outcomes. Therefore, understanding how others perceive the course is a vital factor in ensuring its effectiveness.
 

Who were you able to conduct the usability testing? Were you able to get the right people? 

 

Usability testing has provided valuable insights into the course design process. It identified the online course's strengths as well as areas for growth. I collected comments from a variety of sources. First, an instructional coach shared insights from the perspective of someone responsible for ensuring that the material, activities, and assessments are aligned with the learning outcomes mandated by the TEA, Texas Education Agency. Miss Caraballo provided significant feedback on the intended learning outcomes for students and the artifacts they are expected to generate by the conclusion of the course. Furthermore, input from an educator who has taught second grade for the past three years, Mrs. Celis, was insightful, particularly regarding the course's simplicity of use and organization, and the learning activities aligned with assessments.

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During the usability testing phase, I ensured that key stakeholders actively participated in the conception and implementation of my instructional design and usability assessment. The stakeholders were an instructional coach, two early childhood educators, and two second-grade Language Arts teachers. I carefully selected the survey participants, who were the best fit for this purpose.
 

What impact did your platform (LMS) have on the testing and results?

 

LMS Impact 

I chose Canvas as my platform because students and stakeholders are already familiar with it as our district's LMS. This decision was straightforward since all stakeholders have access to the platform. All course materials were created using Canvas's user-friendly organization, making its LMS features easily accessible. Stakeholders noted their familiarity with the platform and found the course easy to use. For the survey, I used Google Forms and designed six questions covering modules, content, navigation, and ease of use. The survey included various question types, such as ratings and open-ended questions, allowing me to gather valuable feedback for revising and improving the course.

 

Lessons Learned from the usability testing feedback

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What were the lessons you learned from the usability testing feedback? 

 

Lesson learned through the usability process came from the professional feedback made by the stakeholders. 

The response was positive, with only a few areas needing improvement. I attribute this to the regular use of Canvas as our school's LMS, which ensures that all materials are easily accessible for learners. Our district required instructors to use Canvas after COVID; therefore, I believed Canvas was the best choice. Moreover, usability test participants indicated that the course interface was user-friendly, and the course organization within the Canvas LMS was easy to navigate. Thanks to Canvas's user-friendly and comprehensive communication tools, they appreciated the well-organized modules and content, which reduced the need to search for resources or course documents. 

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Some valuable suggestions came from our stakeholders, such as incorporating more assessments besides the rubrics, having a section where students can record themselves talking about their writing experience as a self-assessment, or allowing them to share their Google Slides for peer revision and editing.

 

What have you done to your design to address the usability issues revealed in the testing? What have you added or taken away?

 

Based on input gathered from the usability testing, adjustments were made to the activities and discussions for course students by revising the instructions to make the learning experience more dynamic and interactive for our students.

 

How has this process improved your course and your learner’s experience?

 

When developing a course, particularly online, it's essential to consider each stage of the process and how to connect the learning outcomes with the learning activities to provide learners with a COVA-style learning experience. This educational approach has influenced my teaching and learning. I have become a more thoughtful, inquisitive, and critical thinker. 

 

How has the testing impacted your alignment of outcomes activities and assessment?

 

Informed by the insights gained from usability testing, I revised the course design by enhancing the clarity of instructions and providing additional resources as needed. The stakeholders’ feedback brought leading valuable suggestions to add to the course: 

To enhance the learning experience, a) I included a section where students can record themselves discussing their writing experiences as a self-assessment. b) Allow students to share their Google Slides with another student for peer revision and editing.c) Using prior knowledge encourages students to make connections, 

 

How will you address the infrastructure, system, and support needs and issues the learner may face? 

 

If I ever encounter a problem with the Canvas LMS infrastructure, our school district's technology staff can offer expert advice. We can also consult the Canvas website.