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Back to Topic: Instructional Design

User Testing for e-Learning Courses

= Course Overview =

One of the good practices of instructional design is the tryout of learning experiences prior to full deployment to the target audience. Yet, with tight schedules, global distribution of learners, nonaccessibility of the target audience, and other barriers, training designers often skip or minimize this critical quality assurance step. Furthermore, with e-learning solutions, designers not only need to assess the efficacy of their instruction, but also the quality and performance of the systems that deliver the instruction.

When conducting a formative evaluation of e-learning solutions, training designers must be able to generate a plan that blends instructional objectives, user testing, software quality assurance, and the overall user experience. In other words, designers must incorporate the good practices from the instructional field and the good practices from the software field to ensure the quality of their solutions.

“E-learning” is a broad term that describes distributive and advanced distributive courseware that can be delivered in different ways. These mediums include, but are not limited to, delivery over the Internet, a computer network, by CD-ROM, interactive TV, or satellite broadcast. There are many types of e-learning, such as synchronous virtual classrooms, asynchronous forums/chats, asynchronous self-paced courses, and blended learning that incorporates several models. For the purposes of the instruction proposed in this design document, “e-learning” is limited to web-based, self-paced, asynchronous instruction.

The course will introduce the concept of formative evaluations and why conducting them is a good practice when designing e-learning. “Formative” means to shape or transform and formative evaluations should be conducted at regular review intervals during the development cycle. “User Testing” is a specific type of formative evaluation that occurs at the end of the development cycle. Building on the “what and why” of formative evaluation, the instruction will provide information on how to develop an evaluation plan for “User Testing,” as well as how to set up and conduct the evaluation plan.

Finally, guidance on how to analyze the results of a User Test will be provided.

= Course Goal = Upon completion of this course, people who have designed an e-learning module or lesson will be able to conduct a formative evaluation (in the form of User Testing) of the learning experience. The result shall be a list of recommendations for enhancing and improving the learning experience.

= Course Objectives = Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
 * Describe the role formative evaluation plays in the ADDIE model
 * Describe the role user testing plays in the instructional design development process
 * Create a user testing plan for the e-learning course
 * Conduct user testing on the e-learning course
 * ...?...Given the findings of a user test of an e-learning course, the learner will be able to analyze its results.
 * ...?...Given the analysis of a user test of an e-learning course, the learner will be able to prepare a report of recommendations for improving the e-learning course.

= Course Lessons = To go to a lesson, click its title below:
 * 1) Course Introduction
 * 2) User Testing Fundamentals
 * 3) Developing a Plan
 * 4) Conducting User Testing
 * 5) ...?...Analyze User Testing
 * 6) ...?...Report Recommendations for Improving e-Learning courses