Usability and Reflection
The usability testing of my 6th-grade language arts course provided valuable feedback from teachers, revealing areas for improvement. While the LMS platform worked well for organizing content, it posed challenges for some teachers, particularly those unfamiliar with the system. Based on the feedback, I simplified the navigation, clarified instructions, and added more examples to make the course easier to follow. I also aligned course activities and assessments more closely with learning outcomes to ensure they were practical for classroom use. The process highlighted the need for better support, so I plan to provide additional tech resources for teachers and ensure the course is accessible on various devices. These changes have made the course more user-friendly and engaging for both teachers and students. Overall, the usability testing has significantly improved the design and effectiveness of the course.
Reflection
For usability testing, I was able to get feedback from a small group of 6th-grade language arts teachers who were familiar with using digital tools for teaching. However, I realized I could have gotten more diverse input, including feedback from teachers with varying levels of experience with technology or from teachers using different types of digital platforms. In the future, I would try to involve a wider range of educators to ensure I’m meeting the needs of all potential users. I’d also try to include some students, to get their perspective on how well the course works for them.
Using Schoology as the LMS (Learning Management System) helped in organizing and distributing the materials efficiently, but it did present challenges for some users. For example, certain features may have been confusing for teachers who weren’t familiar with the system. However, it was beneficial for tracking progress and gathering data on how teachers interacted with the content. In the future, I might consider simplifying the design or offering clearer instructions for teachers who aren’t as tech-savvy.
Learning Management System (LMS: Schoology
The feedback showed me that some of the instructions were unclear, and certain digital tools weren’t as intuitive as I thought. Teachers pointed out that they needed more explicit guidance on how to navigate the course and manage students' progress. Additionally, some teachers expressed that interactive features, like quizzes or discussions, were hard to implement in the classroom context. These insights helped me realize that usability goes beyond just the design and also includes how easy it is for teachers to implement the tools in their teaching.
Based on the feedback, I simplified the navigation and provided clearer instructions for teachers, especially for setting up and using interactive features. I also added a few more examples and visuals to make the course easier to follow. I removed some unnecessary steps in the process, making it faster for teachers to access the content they needed. Additionally, I incorporated more formative assessments that teachers can easily implement in their classrooms.
This process has made my course more user-friendly and accessible for both teachers and students. By addressing the usability issues, I have streamlined the flow of the course and made it easier for teachers to navigate the platform. The clearer instructions and added examples help make the content more engaging and less confusing for students, leading to a smoother and more effective learning experience.
The testing highlighted that some activities weren’t aligning well with the intended learning outcomes, especially when teachers were unsure how to implement certain tasks. After the feedback, I reviewed and revised the alignment between the activities and assessments to make sure they were practical for 6th-grade language arts teachers to execute. Now, activities are more closely tied to learning objectives, and assessments are designed to be easy to grade and provide meaningful feedback.
I will ensure that adequate tech support is available for teachers, especially for those who may struggle with using digital platforms. This could include offering online tutorials or a help desk. I also plan to include a troubleshooting section in the course materials to address common issues, and I’ll make sure the infrastructure (the LMS) is compatible with a wide range of devices, ensuring all students can access the course easily.
References
Athuraliya, A. (2024, December 25). Top 7 instructional design models to create effective learning material -. Creately Blog. https://creately.com/blog/education/instructional-design-models-process/
Bates, A.W. (2019). Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/ Videos from this post are also required viewing in the Discussion section.
Harapnuik. D. (2021). Assessment Of/For/As learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900
Mohning, C. (2024). Schoology. Cypress Fairbanks ISD. https://www.cfisd.net/academics/cfisd-schoology
What is Addie? your complete guide to the addie model. ELM Learning. (2024, November 26). https://elmlearning.com/hub/instructional-design/addie-model/
