LTEC 690, Spring 2016

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/39995

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Assessing the Usability of an Online New Student Orientation
(2016-04-21) Soto, Kailana; Leong, Peter
Information that an institution’s website can provide ranges from the admissions process to online registration to graduation. The Admissions Office at Kauai Community College (KCC), for example, has a website full of important information that aims to support students through the enrollment process. However, there have been numerous complaints that the website is too text heavy and difficult to navigate. As a result, I designed and developed an online student orientation website for new incoming KCC students. The design and development of the website focused on simplifying information and delivering that information through short text, instructional videos and downloadable documents. The purpose of this usability study is to assess the content, navigation and student satisfaction of the online new student orientation website for students at KCC. Two rounds of the usability study was conducted with three participants of different educational backgrounds. As part of the study, participants completed the online orientation from beginning to end, and all were given the same tasks to complete. A post-study survey was also administered to participants upon completion of the study. With proper adjustments and modifications made to the website after each round, the results revealed an increase in the quality and usability of the online orientation.
Flipped Inclusion Classroom: An Action Research
(2016-04-19) Villanueva, Jeanette; Leong, Peter
Motivating students in the classroom can be challenging, especially for Special Education students in an inclusion classroom. Due to the gap between a special education student’s independence level and current grade level, it is difficult for special education students to retain motivation throughout instruction. In efforts to determine how student motivation can be sustained, a website including instructional videos was created to be implemented in a flipped classroom instructional method. The purpose of this action research study is to evaluate the effect of a flipped classroom model in an elementary inclusion math class to increase student motivation for 6th grade students. Becoming familiar with student’s strengths, needs and interests throughout this process was a big factor to help increase student motivation towards their learning. It was also important to listen to and consider participants feedback based on their experiences after each implementation so that necessary changes could be made to improve instruction in the next round.
Increasing Interest and Engagement in Science with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems
(2016-04-21) Wright, Michael; Fulford, Catherine
In recent years, much attention has been placed on the need for authentic learning opportunities that will effectively prepare our students to be successful in the 21st Century workforce. There has also been tremendous concern about the lack of scientists, engineers, and innovators in the United States. In response to these concerns, an extracurricular program focusing on providing elementary students with hands-on, integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education was established in 2012 at a public school in Hawaii and made available to students from across Oahu. The purpose of this project was to develop an instructional module focusing on the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) with the primary objective of increasing the level of interest and engagement in science among younger students. The ARCS-V Model was combined with project-based learning to have students explore and master STEM concepts required to construct a remotely-operated quadcopter by having students produce a different operational product each week to demonstrate their understanding of targeted standards and objectives. Activities and sub-projects integrated into and built upon in this module included rocketry, underwater robotics, electronics, model aircraft, radio communication systems. The results of this project have allowed instructional module to be improved upon by identifying areas in need of further scaffolding, providing a greater understanding of time and material needs, and offering insight into how the module can be implemented in different schools/programs, and with a greater range of students, both in Hawaii and beyond.
Increasing Interest and Engagement in Elementary Science with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems
(2016-04-21) Wright, Michael; Fulford, Catherine
In recent years, much attention has been placed on the need for authentic learning opportunities that will effectively prepare our students to be successful in the 21st Century workforce. There has also been tremendous concern about the lack of scientists, engineers, and innovators in the United States. In response to these concerns, an extracurricular program focusing on providing elementary students with hands-on, integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education was established in 2012 at a public school in Hawaii and made available to students from across Oahu. The purpose of this project was to develop an instructional module focusing on the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) with the primary objective of increasing the level of interest and engagement in science among younger students. The ARCS-V Model was combined with project-based learning to have students explore and master STEM concepts required to construct a remotely-operated quadcopter by having students produce a different operational product each week to demonstrate their understanding of targeted standards and objectives. Activities and sub-projects integrated into and built upon in this module included rocketry, underwater robotics, electronics, model aircraft, radio communication systems. The results of this project have allowed instructional module to be improved upon by identifying areas in need of further scaffolding, providing a greater understanding of time and material needs, and offering insight into how the module can be implemented in different schools/programs, and with a greater range of students, both in Hawaii and beyond.
Evaluating the Usability of a Teacher Created Classroom Website
(2016-04-21) Neizman, Brittany; Leong, Peter
Today, parents expect to have ongoing communication with their child’s teacher. In order to create effective, consistent and proactive communication between the parents of Ms. Neizman’s 3rd grade class a classroom website was be designed. This website is aimed to promote curriculum, to provide resources, and important school information. The purpose of this usability study is to evaluate the navigation, easy of use and effectiveness of a teacher-created website to inform Ms. Neizman's 3rd grade parents about what their child is learning in the classroom. Two rounds of usability testing captured the user interaction with the teacher-created website using the think aloud protocol and mouse movement. Pre and post surveys collected user satisfaction and demographic data. Data analysis included task completion and both quantitative and qualitative user evaluations. Usability issues were resolved over the 2 rounds of usability testing with improvements made to the prototype in between each round. The results showed an increase in navigation, easy of use and effectiveness of this teacher-created classroom website. Findings support the effectiveness of usability testing in the design of simple, user friendly teacher-created websites that provides open communication between teacher and parents.
Evaluating Usability of a Teacher Resource Website
(2016-04-19) Powell, Janet; Leong, Peter
Adjust teaching practices to ensure student learning in the classroom is a part of everyday life as a teacher. Having students with disabilities in the classroom might make this a little more challenging. Private schools that do not specialize in these areas may not have the financial or physical means to provide enough support to teachers forcing them to do research on their own. The purpose of this project was to create a user friendly website that has information about learning disabilities, disability symptoms and teaching strategies. The website was created using Weebly, a web-based website builder. A usability study was conducted using 3 participants in the first round and 3 participants in the second round. Revisions to the website were made after the first round of feedback was analyzed and again after the second round. Revisions include adding a button that links users to a glossary page and a section on testing and diagnosing for each disability covered.
Usability Study of a Website to Orient Incoming Students into a Journalism Course
(2016-05-06) Leach, Janet; Leong, Peter
The majority of teachers receive new students at the beginning of each school year. However, teachers that work at a military impacted school have to accommodate for students coming and going throughout the year. The continual stream of students entering and exiting at a particular school on a military base warranted the development of an orientation site for a year-long Journalism elective course. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content, aesthetics, and organization of the site through a usability study. The website-builder, Weebly, was used to create the site, and instructional videos were embedded using the software Camtasia. The orientation site uses Google Classroom, which is the learning management system for the course. To ensure the site would be user friendly for new students, two rounds of usability testing were completed, with revisions made based upon data. Usability participants navigated through the site to complete scenarios that the target audience would encounter. Pre and post surveys gathered additional data that revealed demographics, comfortability levels with technology, and recommendations for the site in regards to content and aesthetics. Some lessons learned consisted of how multimedia can enhance a website, the importance of color on a website, and how a paper document checklist provided on a homepage can assist with completion of orientation activities. The conclusions made from this study could serve as a model for other situations with a transient population that could use a website to help with an overall adjustment to a new environment.
Evaluating Usability of a Classroom Website Designed to Improve Communication Between Home and School
(2016-05-06) Hokoana, Kenton; Leong, Peter
Relationships and communication between home and school play a critical role in the development of young students and contribute to their overall success in school. Research suggests that when a school involves parents and families it in turn affects the success of the child. Typically, most communications between a child’s home and school are done via some sort of paper-based flyer, form, brochure or packet. Therefore it is the sole responsibility of the student to be the gatekeeper of information between home and school. In some cases, there is a communication breakdown that occurs. By creating a classroom website, it allows parents to stay connected and informed about their child’s learning. A usability study was conducted to evaluate the ease-of-use and functionality of a 5th grade classroom website designed to improve communication with parents at a public school in Hawaii. Feedback suggested changing the order of the pages by importance rather than alphabetically, providing summaries of the programs to make it easily accessible for parents, and adding a list of important dates to the welcome page of the site. Further research will be conducted to phase in an online gradebook and provide opportunities to promote further communication between home and school.
Evaluating the Usability of an Optimized Website for a Local Coffee Business
(2016-04-21) Yokota, Michelle; Fulford, Catherine
A survey by the Pew Research Center (2011) found 55% of American adults rely on the Internet as a primary source of information for restaurants and local businesses, with its ability to quickly sort and personalize data such as what cafés nearby might be widely praised and patronized by online peers. As the Internet becomes prevalent throughout the consumer’s purchasing journey, website usability is crucial for the survival of local businesses with online presence. The purpose of this usability study was to evaluate an optimized website for a local and independent coffee business known as The Curb (http://thecurbco.com). With the affordance of web analytics to capture customer information, three website design iterations were created for optimized landing pages. An open-source web tool known as SurveyMonkey was instrumental in creating and distributing anonymous pre- and post-surveys to six participants. They were asked to complete a series of task scenarios using the “thinking aloud” method while their computer screen and audio were recorded for quantitative and qualitative analysis. Usability metrics were defined by the ISO 9241-11 standard providing guidance on measuring the effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The results identified usability issues with the website’s navigational menu, suggesting further design iterations to optimize and improve The Curb’s website usability.
But is it Useful? Website Usability Testing of the UH STEM Education Website
(2016-04-19) Arakawa, Melissa; Fulford, Catherine
The digital age has ushered in a time where users are instantaneously and continuously connected to the world at the touch of a screen. Having an online presence is the lifeline of an institution. It is therefore imperative that an institution’s website be easy to use, provide reliable information and be aesthetically pleasing to the user. Upon the creation of the new Office of STEM Education at the University of Hawai‘i, a website was immediately launched to provide information. However, as the office grew the website remained stagnant. Feedback from constituents focused on the lack of current and relevant information. The purpose of this usability study was to analyze, develop and evaluate the content, navigation and user satisfaction of the Office STEM Education website and to improve its efficiency for faculty and students at the University of Hawai‘i. Based on such feedback in the rapid prototyping and usability study changes were implemented on the website to improve the overall design and navigability.
Ilokano To Go: Development and Usability of an Ilokano Vocabulary Mobile App
(2016-04-19) Gaspar, Bhonna Leene
About 90% of the Philippine population living in Hawaii today is Ilokano or are descendants of Ilokano immigrants. Considered the language of the Philippine diaspora, Ilokano, or Ilocano, is currently being offered as a language course at several institutions in Hawaii. The courses follow a structured program, using textbooks that offer lessons and exercises based on real-world experiences. Although the students have a variety of resources available to them, the researcher found no mobile applications developed to learn Ilokano vocabulary. To assist students in their efforts, a mobile language learning application titled “Ilokano To Go” was developed and a usability study conducted. The purpose of this usability study was to develop and evaluate the ease of use of a beginner- intermediate Ilokano vocabulary development mobile app for students at a large university in Hawaii. The study included two iterations of usability testing and examined aspects of usability such as aesthetics, navigability, and usefulness. A pre-survey, usability protocol, observation checklist, and a post-survey helped to identify usability issues in the mobile application. The mobile application was well received by study participants, and changes relevant to its ease of use were made after each iteration of testing.
Using The Mobile Application Evernote for Diagnostic Assessment to Enhance Foreign Language Proficiency
(2016-05-05) Ka, Jay; Fulford, Catherine
The diagnostic language assessment (DLA) is an important tool for instructors and, military linguists to enhance their language proficiency. The ultimate goal of this research project is to help military instructors use a twenty-first-century tool to assess students' proficiency and provide recommendations to enhance students' language proficiency in order to meet mission requirements. However, the lack of technology used for DLA in the classroom settings is prevalent. Currently, all military instructors use the traditional tools of paper, sticky notes, memory notes and tape recorders for DLA. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based instructional module that teaches military language instructors on Oahu to use the Evernote web applications to collect student’s language proficiency data and securely input and transfer the data to individual student folder for DLA. Sixteen participants took part in the two-hour web-based module. Comparing the pre and post surveys, after completing the learning module, 94% of participants preferred to use Evernote web 2.0 applications for DLA in the classroom and the attitude and comfort level on using technology improved. Increased skill and confidence, improved attitude, and positive participant responses showed that the chosen theories were applicable to development. The author discussed the effeteness of the module, areas for refinement, and suggested future implementation and contribution to the field of DLA.
Developing and Evaluating a Personal Task Analysis App – A Usability Study
(2016-04-24) Ng, Yee Lun Elon; Fulford, Catherine; Leong, Peter
The amazing explosion of technology and innovation that has catapulted societies all over the world from the late 20th century into the 21st century brought in an advent of changes. It is often suggested that recent technology has condensed many day-to-day tasks that would normally take much longer. However, do people have more time on their hands, or less? The purpose of this usability project was to develop and evaluate the ease of use for a gamified app of a personal task analysis from an activity in a graduate course used at a university on the island of O`ahu. Development of the app was done with the platform Appery.io, and gamification as an approach was also considered in the overall development. The usability study was conducted with six participants aged 20-60, who had previous experience with the personal task analysis activity in the graduate program. The study was divided into two rounds, with two iterations each. And pre and post survey was sent to participants to solicit more information. Audio recording data was analyzed together with screen capture data to evaluate app usability. Qualitative data suggested that the second iteration was less confusing and more positive in contrast to the first iteration in terms of navigability and visual aesthetic. It is hoped that future iterations of the app continue to improve its function, and usability.
Up We Go! Developing a Web-Based Instructional Module on the Transition from Elementary to Middle School
(2016-04-19) De Vega, Patrick; Fulford, Catherine
Youth will experience numerous transitions throughout their lifetime as they venture towards adulthood. Students completing the final year of elementary school are set for one of their first major life changing events as the move on to middle school. Alongside the academic concerns they will face, these youths will experience issues that may affect their physical, emotional, moral, and social well being. Though there is an abundance of evidence-based academic literature, there currently lacks content designed for children. Technology’s importance and presence is intertwined with our everyday lives and the ability to learn can be simply had within the grasp of your fingertips. Current educational climate emphasizes effective technology usage that promotes a student’s ability to be responsible for their learning while changing the teacher’s role as an advisor, coach, or facilitator. Therefore, in order to better prepare these learners, a web-based instructional design project was designed and evaluated in attempt to provide information to these students based upon common concerns many students face during this transitional period. The independent online module can be found at http://patrickdevega.wix.com/upwego. John Keller’s ARCS Model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) was employed throughout development. The module features a fictional story involving a group of friends navigating middle school while encountering problems like academic pressure and concerns with appearance. Learners gain strategies to assist characters and receive feedback through embedded assessments.
Developing and Evaluating a Mobile App for an Online Course: A Usability Study
(2016-04-19) Hitosugi, Claire; Catherine Fulford
The Pew Research Center reports that 10% of Americans rely heavily on smartphones for high-speed internet access at home. This trend is particularly strong among low-income households (Smith, 2015). A digital divide manifested by varying broadband access may exist among online students. For this reason, online course materials should be easily accessible on mobile devices. The author developed a mobile app for her online management information systems (MIS) course, BUSA 345. This study looked into four factors in the usability of the “BUSA 345 app”: design, navigation, ease of use, and perceived usefulness. Two rounds of the study were conducted. Seven students with an average age of 26.7 years participated. The participants used their smartphones to perform tasks based on the app. A pre-test survey revealed that participants had 66 apps on average installed on their smartphones, and they scored high in tech efficacy. However, they had only three apps for school on average. The post-test results indicated that the students rated the ease of use and usefulness of the “BUSA 345 app” highly on both iOS and Android platforms. All participants strongly agreed that the app was useful for learning and they would use the app if it were available. This usability study shows that the “BUSA 345 app” was embraced by the student participants, who looked forward to being able to access course materials on the go.
A Web-Based Module: Filipino Haggling - A Cultural Phenomenon
(2016-05-04) Domingo, Dean; Fulford, Catherine
The Ilokano Language and Literature Program (ILLP) serves to educate its students about the language and culture. In order to meet its objective, they must find options of teaching their material to students who are not able to attend face-to-face or in-class sessions. Enrollment numbers have been down in recent years. Faculty has been discussing ways how to bring them back up. An idea was proposed to offer online courses. The purpose of this instructional design project was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based module that focused on Filipino haggling and was used by undergraduates who enrolled in the ILLP at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. The module was created on WordPress, a free and open-source content management system in addition to a combination of tools including: GoogleForms, JotForm, and YouTube. Design of the module was guided by concepts from the direct method approach and framework from Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. This study involved 17 participants who are enrolled in the ILLP courses. Data collected via tests and surveys were analyzed and reported using descriptive statistics. Results indicated that 14 out of the 17 participants showed improvement in score between the pre-test and post-test.
Google Cardboard for a K12 Social Studies Module
(2016-05-04) Yap, Mark; Fulford, Catherine
Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging possibility for delivering educational content and experiences to students. To make VR a viable solution, this research study examined Google Cardboard as a low-cost 3D viewer in conjunction with a provided smartphone. The purpose of the instructional design project was to develop a module within a learning management system (LMS) and to gather affective domain research data on student perceptions of those who utilized a Google Cardboard device to view content for a high school social studies class at a Hawai‘i Public Charter School. This study included an even mix of male and female grade 9 students.
Using Peer Evaluation Through Social Media Tools to Motivate and Improve Learner Performance
(2016-04-19) Oberheu, Donald; Fulford, Catherine
Digital photography is both a science and an art. The creation of a quality photograph requires knowledge, thoughtful consideration, and attention to details. As a Digital Art lecturer at a large community college in Hawaii, the researcher noticed that many digital photography students lacked the required level of engagement and motivation necessary to succeed as digital photographers. Constructionist learning theory holds that active collaborative social learning is more effective than traditional objectivist methods. Flickr is a Web 2.0 social networking photo sharing site that easily facilitates active collaborative social learning. Using Flickr and peer feedback, the researcher conducted an action research study to determine the efficacy of using peer evaluation through social media to motivate and improve learner performance. The results of the study did not show any marked improvements in either learner motivation or performance. Moreover, the data was inconclusive as to whether peer evaluation through social media facilitates active collaborative social learning and is an effective tool in visual art education.
iMOOC: An Introduction to Radio Communication for Pilots-The Essentials
(Vietti, Faith, 2016-04-21) Vietti, Faith; Leong, Peter
Radio communication is the same for all pilots as English is the language of aviation and the need to communicate clearly and effectively is a matter of safety. The process in which to mitigate the risk of miscommunication is an ongoing challenge in aviation. The purpose of this instructional design project was to develop and evaluate an iMOOC (interactive Massive Open Online Course), which is intended to increase radio communication awareness and competency for pilots. The iMOOC design focused on integration of the theory of connectivism (Kopp, 2011), the strategy of Scenario- based e-learning (Clark & Mayer, 2012), and tools such the WordPress platform, which incorporated interactive features of LiveChat and social media. The study involved 10 participants ranging in age from 18 to 44. Data collected from tests and surveys were analyzed and reported using descriptive analysis. Improved test scores, increased radio communication awareness and positive participation responses indicated that selected theories, strategies, and tools were effective and applicable to the iMOOC development. Additional design concerns for future research are considered.
A Usability Study on: A Toss Juggling Website for Physical Education Teachers
(2016-04-19) Zoder, Alexis; Leong, Peter
Many teachers are unaware of the benefits of toss juggling. Research studies show an increase in gray matter of the brain as a result of initially learning how to juggle (Driemeyer, Boyke, Gaser, Büchel, & May, 2008). A website was created for Physical Education (PE) teachers in an effort to teach juggling and inform educators of its benefits. A usability study was conducted to improve the overall design and content of a toss juggling website for PE teachers. The purpose of this usability study was to evaluate the ease-of-use, learnability, and user satisfaction of a toss juggling website for 6th-10th grade PE teachers to implement into their classes. The face-to-face usability testing was screen and audio recorded using Voila Capture. Online resources and tools such as Weebly, Google Forms, Google Drawing, and YouTube were used to design and develop the website. The ADDIE Model guided the creation and progression of my website. This study involves a total of six participants who are teachers over the age of 18. Data was collected through a pre and post survey for all participants in order to obtain quantitative and qualitative feedback. A usability protocol script was used to ask the participants tasks and scenarios pertaining to the website in order to make improvements after Rounds 1 and 2 of testing. Revisions made include: removal of the drop down navigation menu; renaming of some of the navigation menu headings; enlargement of font size of headings and text; addition of a homepage video and juggling equipment links; and reorganization of specific content.

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