A literature review about usability evaluation methods for e-learning platforms.
The usability analysis of information systems has been the target of several research studies over the past thirty years. These studies have highlighted a great diversity of points of view, including researchers from different scientific areas such as Ergonomics, Computer Science, Design and Education. Within the domain of information ergonomics, the study of tools and methods used for usability evaluation dedicated to E-learning presents evidence that there is a continuous and dynamic evolution of E-learning systems, in many different contexts -academics and corporative. These systems, also known as LMS (Learning Management Systems), can be classified according to their educational goals and their technological features. However, in these systems the usability issues are related with the relationship/interactions between user and system in the user's context. This review is a synthesis of research project about Information Ergonomics and embraces three dimensions, namely the methods, models and frameworks that have been applied to evaluate LMS. The study also includes the main usability criteria and heuristics used. The obtained results show a notorious change in the paradigms of usability, with which it will be possible to discuss about the studies carried out by different researchers that were focused on usability ergonomic principles aimed at E-learning.
Deparment of Production and Systems Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal. lucianafreire@gmail.com
Luciana Lopes
LL
Freire
Pedro Miguel
PM
Arezes
José Creissac
JC
Campos
D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000592:standards*; D006804:Ergonomics; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D014584:User-Computer Interface