Optimising the effectiveness of questionnaire surveys for usability evaluation of offline e-learning tutorials

Abstract

Usability of e-learning environments should be based on an interaction design that promotes ease of learning and offers meaningful engagement with the content. To achieve this, their design should take into account principles of learning and of usability. Selection of an appropriate usability evaluation method requires consideration of its cost and effectiveness. The objectives of this study are: to generate a questionnaire for evaluating offline e-learning tutorials, based on a customised usability framework, use the questionnaire in a user-based evaluation of an offline interactive tutorial, and determine the effectiveness of the questionnaire in usability evaluation. Based on a framework of twelve criteria, the questionnaire was developed and deployed in a survey, which demonstrated its effectiveness in evaluating an interactive tutorial. The major problems identified were related to the structure and navigability of the tutorial, as well as weaknesses in its Help system.