Involving the users remotely: an exploratory study using asynchronous usability testing

Beth Filar Williams, Sara Valla
pp. 98-121, download

 

Abstract


Open Educational Resources (OER) are increasingly used in the higher education landscape as a solution for a variety of copyright, publishing and cost-prohibiting issues. While OERs are becoming more common, reports of usability tests that evaluate how well learners can use them to accomplish their learning tasks have lagged behind. Because both the reserachers and the learners in this study use resources and tools remotely, asynchronous usability testing of a prototype OER and MOOC online guide was conducted with an exploratory group of users to determine the guide’s ease of use for two distinct groups of users: Educators and Learners.  In this article, we share the background and context of this usability project, suggest best methods for asynchronous remote usability testing, and share challenges and insights of the process and results of the testing. 



keywords: asynchronous, remote usability testing, user centered, usability, open educational resources, OER,  MOOC, LibGuides



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