Literature Review

The term “pedagogical usability” has been used to denote whether tools, content, interface and the tasks of the web-based learning environments support various learners to learn in various learning contexts according to selected pedagogical objectives. Specific usability issues that impact on learning materials include:

• Any problems with use or navigation will prevent the student from employing the learning materials effectively.


• Using the materials effectively may be an essential component of a student course.


• The interface needs to support effective engagement with the learning materials over extended periods of time, some of which may be at home.

There may be a need for two different interfaces, one for the instructor to add material, and another for the student to view and interact with it.
This results in the following additional HCI guidelines (to appear in section 18 of the guidelines):

1. Support interruptions in workflow (e.g. to answer the phone, check on the kids)
[D1]

2. Organise pages into a main entrance, main work pages and other auxiliary resources


3. Arrange information in chunks surrounded by some space


4. Ensure course pages can be printed


5. Arrange information in a non-threatening manner so that users are not overwhelmed


6. Use a fixed screen layout so that navigation information is at the same place on each screen


7. Use location indicators and progress reports to let users know where they are, where they need to go, and how long it will take them to get there (e.g. how many questions in this section)

This is abstracted from an appendix of a JISC document (original web link here) which I downloaded. The pedagogical usability and its application to learning materials will be useful if it is to be used for the field of my research. I should probably blog this as literature review and my musings as well. :-)