Enriching the E-learning Experience in the Framework of Web 2.0 Using Usability 2.0

Abstract

The e-learning experience suffers from several known drawbacks; some resulting from the media in use, but some resulting from the unwise use of technology. The field that methodically deals with ways to utilize technologies and harness them for the users, in our case – the learners, is Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The two major methods utilized are usability and user experiences. Web 2.0 has been creative with an approach that integrates these two methods – Usability 2.0 – distinguished from Usability 1.0 that is more oriented to usability. This work tries to understand how and in what way HCI methods can be used in order to enrich the e-learning experience. The research question investigated here is will the design of an e-learning environment in the framework of Web 2.0 (i.e., user content publishing and collaboration between users), via use of methodology and tools of Usability 2.0 (that integrates usability and user experiences) – enrich the e-learning experience itself. This work though only investigates the difference between the influences that Usability 2.0 has on the e-learning experience in comparison to Usability 1.0. The investigation was carried out on a student population from technological colleges in northern Israel. Quantitative tools were mainly used in this research while utilizing also qualitative tools. Quantitative outcomes confirmed that interface design using Usability 2.0 methods can enrich the e-learning experience. As was hypothesized, such an advanced interface enables an innovative flow experience and better perceived feeling of control of the learning process. In parallel, qualitative outcomes point to hardships encountered by the learners in their work with e-learning systems that were not designed using Usability 2.0.