Usability Study of a Simplified eLearning Design that Integrates Google@UH Apps and the Laulima LMS

Navigating elearning courses that involve multiple services and access points can be daunting for learners. In the University of Hawai‘i system the “Laulima” (Sakai) Learning Management System is the standard service used for e-learning course delivery, while the Google@UH (Google Apps for Education) suite is used for “official” email and web 2.0 services. Additionally, the option to add Google “consumer apps,” to Google@UH accounts has recently become available. The purpose of this usability study was to assess the user perception, efficiency, and ease of use of an e-learning course design that integrates the use of the Google@UH services with the Laulima LMS through a simplified user-centered design. Three rounds of in-person usability testing captured user interaction with the course site via a “think aloud” process and mouse movement monitoring. Pre and post surveys collected attitudinal and demographic data. Data analysis included task completion rate and both quantitative and qualitative user evaluations. The majority of usability issues were resolved over the course of 3 rounds of usability testing with revisions made to the prototype in-between each round. Major revisions included a simplified homepage with minimal text, graphic links created with universal icons, an animated course “features” video, and strategically placed links to tools and resources. The results showed an increase in user perception, efficiency, and ease of use, of this integrated by design elearning prototype.