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The Impact of Findability on Student Perceptions of Online Course Quality and Experience
PROCEEDINGS

, , , Kent State University, United States

AACE Award

EdMedia + Innovate Learning, in Victoria, Canada ISBN 978-1-939797-03-2 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

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Abstract

This study proposed to investigate whether “findability”, an aspect of usability, is an important component in student perceptions of/satisfaction with online courses and, as such, should be considered more heavily in online course design. Using standard usability testing measures, such as eye-tracking, time-on-task, and think-alouds, participants were asked to find essential course components in either a course with high findability or a modified version of the course with low findability, in order to determine the impact on student perceptions of course quality and experience. Participants rated those courses with high findability as a better overall experience (based on five dimensions). The researchers believe this study to be the first in a series of studies that will eventually lead to determining if findability and/or usability have a direct impact on student learning outcomes and, if so, what are the standards in these areas that should be set forth for online courses.

Citation

Robins, D., Simunich, B. & Kelly, V. (2013). The Impact of Findability on Student Perceptions of Online Course Quality and Experience. In J. Herrington, A. Couros & V. Irvine (Eds.), Proceedings of EdMedia 2013--World Conference on Educational Media and Technology (pp. 1122-1129). Victoria, Canada: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved August 11, 2024 from .

© 2013 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

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