Designing & Evaluating an Interactive Hawaiian Language e-Textbook: A Usability Study

Abstract

Today’s college students have access to a wide variety of technologies that can be used to support and enhance their educational careers. One such technology, the digital textbook, or “e-textbook,” is leading many to abandon traditional textbooks in favor of these digital alternatives. Research has shown that students enjoy the portability of e-textbooks, and especially appreciate their convenience and ease of use. The textbook currently being used by first year Hawaiian language students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is offered in print-only format, and the purpose of this usability study was to develop and evaluate the first two chapters of the textbook as an interactive Hawaiian language e-textbook. Eight first-year Hawaiian language students participated in the study, which included a usability protocol and pre- and post- attitudinal surveys. Results of the study indicated that students found the book easy to navigate and enjoyed the interactive features of the book—which included audio recordings, hyperlinks, and digital worksheets. Seventy-five percent of the participants preferred the digital version of the textbook to the printed version. These findings have implications for how e-textbooks should be designed to best meet the needs of second language students.