scholarly journals Effectiveness of heuristic evaluation in usability evaluation of elearning applications in higher educ

2010 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Ssemugabi ◽  
Ruth De Villiers

The Internet, World Wide Web (WWW) and e-learning are contributing to new forms of teaching and learning. Such environments should be designed and evaluated in effective ways, considering both usability- and pedagogical issues. The selection of usability evaluation methods (UEMs) is influenced by the cost of a methods and its effectiveness in addressing users’ issues. The issue of usability is vital in e-learning, where students cannot begin to learn unless they can first use the application. Heuristic evaluation (HE) remains the most widely-used usability evaluation method. This paper describes meta-evaluation research that investigated an HE of a web-based learning (WBL) application. The evaluations were based on a synthesised framework of criteria, related to usability and learning within WBL environments. HE was found to be effective in terms of the number and nature of problems identified in the target application by a complementary team of experienced experts. The findings correspond closely with those of a survey among learners.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustav Petersen ◽  
Jakob Hyldig Nielsen ◽  
Johannes Verner Olsen ◽  
Robin Niels Kok

Background: Even though problems with usability constitute a major challenge to the implementation of new eHealth technology, the field web-based interventions is lacking usability guidelines for development and evaluation of web-based intervention platforms. Objective: The aim of present study is to create a set of eHealth-specific usability guidelines for the development and evaluation of web-based mental health interventions. Methods: Knowledge about usability was gathered from peripheral fields of e-learning, emotional design, and human-computer interaction in a top-down approach. This knowledge was synthesized into usability guidelines for web-based interventions, which were then case-tested on an existing web-based intervention for patients with health anxiety, using the heuristic evaluation method. Results: Nine broad guidelines were developed. The subsequent case-test of the web-based intervention showed that application of the guidelines was feasible and was able to identify several important usability issues with the intervention. Conclusions: Health professionals should be included in intervention design. Future usability assessment should focus on the different usability attributes. The relationship between usability and adherence needs further investigation.


SEMINASTIKA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-106
Author(s):  
Gracella Tambunan ◽  
Lit Malem Ginting

Usability is a factor that indicates the success of an interactive product or system, such as a mobile application. The increasing use of smartphones demands a more accurate and effective usability evaluation method to find usability problems, so that they can be used for product improvement in the development process. This study compares the Cognitive Walkthrough method with Heuristic Evaluation in evaluating the usability of the SIRS Del eGov Center mobile application. Evaluation with these two methods will be carried out by three evaluators who act as experts. Finding problems and recommending improvements from each method will produce an improvement prototype made in the form of a high-fidelity prototype. Each prototype will be tested against ten participants using the Usability Testing method, which will generate scores through the SUS table. From the test scores, the percentage of Likert scale and the success rate of each prototype will be found. The results show that between the two usability evaluation methods, the Heuristic Evaluation method is the more effective method, finds more usability problems, and has a higher Likert scale percentage, which is 66.5%, while Cognitive Walkthrough is 64.75%.


Author(s):  
Shirish C. Srivastava ◽  
Shalini Chandra ◽  
Hwee Ming Lam

Usability evaluation which refers to a series of activities that are designed to measure the effectiveness of a system as a whole, is an important step for determining the acceptance of system by the users. Usability evaluation is becoming important since both user groups, as well as tasks, are increasing in size and diversity. Users are increasingly becoming more informed and, consequently, have higher expectations from the systems. Moreover “system interface” has become a commodity and, hence, user acceptance plays a major role in the success of the system. Currently, there are various usability evaluation methods in vogue, like cognitive walkthrough, think aloud, claims analysis, heuristic evaluation, and so forth. However, for this study we have chosen heuristic evaluation because it is relatively inexpensive, logistically uncomplicated, and is often used as a discount usability-engineering tool (Nielsen, 1994). Heuristic evaluation is a method for finding usability problems in a user interface design by having a small set of evaluators examine an interface and judge its compliance with recognized usability principles. The rest of the chapter is organized as follows: we first look at the definition of e-learning, followed by concepts of usability, LCD, and heuristics. Subsequently, we introduce a methodology for heuristic usability evaluation (Reeves, Benson, Elliot, Grant, Holschuh, Kim, Kim, Lauber, & Loh, 2002), and then use these heuristics for evaluating an existing e-learning system, GETn2. We offer our recommendations for the system and end with a discussion on the contributions of our chapter.


Author(s):  
Christofer Ramos ◽  
Flávio Anthero Nunes Vianna dos Santos ◽  
Monique Vandresen

Heuristic evaluation stands out among the usability evaluation methods regarding its benefits related to time and costs. Nevertheless, generic heuristic sets require improvements when it comes to specific interfaces as seen on m-learning applications that have acquired considerable evidence within the current technologic context. Regarding the lack of studies aimed at interfaces of this sort, the authors propose, through a systematic methodology, the comparative study between a heuristic set specific to the assessment on e-learning interfaces and other, on mobile. The identified usability problems were matched with the aspects of coverage, distribution, redundancy, context and severity, in a way that it was possible to understand the efficiency of each set in covering m-learning issues. Among the findings, e-learning's heuristic set could detect a larger number of usability problems not found by mobile's.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrdad Farzandipour ◽  
Ehsan Nabovati ◽  
Hamidreza Tadayon ◽  
Monireh Sadeqi Jabali

Abstract Background There are some inconsistencies regarding the selection of the most appropriate usability evaluation method. The present study aimed to compare two expert-based evaluation methods in a nursing module, as the most widely used module of a Hospital Information System (HIS). Methods The Heuristic Evaluation (HE) and Cognitive Walkthrough (CW) methods were used by five independent evaluators to evaluate the nursing module of Shafa HIS. In this regard, the number, severity and ratio of the recognized problems according to the usability attributes were compared using two evaluation methods. Results The use of the HE and CW evaluation methods resulted in the identification of 104 and 24 unique problems, respectively. The average severity of the recognized problems was 2.32 in the HE method and 2.77 in the CW evaluation method; however, there was a significant difference between the number and severity of recognized usability problems by these methods (P < 0.001). Some problems, which were associated with effectiveness, satisfaction and error, were better recognized by the HE method; however, CW evaluation method was more successful in recognizing problems of learnability, efficiency and memorability. Conclusion The HE method recognized more problems with a lower average severity. On the other hand, CW could recognize fewer problems with a higher average severity. Regarding the evaluation goal, HE method would be used to improve effectiveness, increase satisfaction and decrease the number of errors. Furthermore, CW evaluation method is recommended to be used to improve the learnability, efficiency and memorability of the system.


2018 ◽  
pp. 2274-2287
Author(s):  
Utku Kose

With the outstanding improvements in technology, the number of e-learning applications has increased greatly. This increment is associated with awareness levels of educational institutions on the related improvements and the power of communication and computer technologies to ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning experiences for teachers and students. Consequently, there is a technological flow that changes the standards of e-learning processes and provides better ways to obtain desired educational objectives. When we consider today's widely used technological factors, Web-based e-learning approaches have a special role in directing the educational standards. Improvements among m-learning applications and the popularity of the Artificial Intelligence usage for educational works have given great momentum to this orientation. In this sense, this chapter provides some ideas on the future of intelligent Web-based e-learning applications by thinking on the current status of the literature. As it is known, current trends in developing Artificial Intelligence-supported e-learning tools continue to shape the future of e-learning. Therefore, it is an important approach to focus on the future. The author thinks that the chapter will be a brief but effective enough reference for similar works, which focus on the future of Artificial Intelligence-supported distance education and e-learning.


Author(s):  
Virve Siirak

In this chapter it is argued that blended learning with web-based support by the Moodle e-learning environment based on social constructivist learning theory is an effective tool for teaching and learning ergonomics and human factor issues for future managers. The author has eight years experience of computer based teaching and learning. The author`s own teaching experience of the Moodle e-learning environment for creating and providing courses in Tallinn University of Technology (TUT), in Tallinn School of Economics and Business Administration at TUT, will be presented. According to the questionnaires given to students at the end of each course, the teaching and learning in the Moodle e-learning environment as blended learning is very useful for development of a learning culture and efficiency. The efficiency and motivation for learning are higher than providing traditional methods of learning. New possibilities and dimensions for teaching and learning are opening.


Author(s):  
Panagiotis Zaharias

The issue of e-learning quality remains prominent on end users’ (the learners’) agenda. It is no surprise that many non-motivated adult learners abandon prematurely their e-learning experiences. This is attributed in a great extent to the poor design and usability of e-learning applications. This paper proposes a usability framework that addresses the user as a learner and extends the current e-learning usability practice by focusing on the affective dimension of learning, a frequently neglected issue in e-learning developments. Motivation to learn, a dominant affective factor related with learning effectiveness, has been similarly neglected. Usability and instructional design constructs as well as Keller’s ARCS Model are being employed within the framework proposed in this work upon which new usability evaluation methods can be based. This framework integrates web usability and instructional design parameters and proposes motivation to learn as a new type of usability dimension in designing and evaluating e-learning applications.


Author(s):  
Lichia Yiu ◽  
Raymond Saner

Since the 1990s, more and more corporate learning has been moved online to allow for flexibility, just-in-time learning, and cost saving in delivering training. This trend has been evolved along with the introduction of Web-based applications for HRM purposes, known as electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM). By 2005, 39.67% of the corporate learning, among the ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) benchmarking forum companies, was delivered online in comparison to 10.5% in 2001. E-learning has now reached “a high level of (technical) sophistication, both in terms of instructional development and the effective management of resources” in companies with high performance learning function (ASTD, 2006, p.4). The cost per unit, reported by ASTD in its 2006 State of Industry Report, has been declining since 2000 despite the higher training hours received per employee thanks to the use of technology based training delivery and its scalability. However, the overall quality of e-learning either public available in the market or implemented at the workplace remains unstable.


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