presentation from the Sakai Conference, Los Angeles, June 2011

1. Would Students Use Mobile
bSpace?
Understanding Student Mobile Practices
Through User Research
Alison Meier, Dave Rolnitzky, Thomas Schluchter
UC Berkeley, School of Information
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

2. Current mobile experience
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

3. Project Goal
Is it worth developing mobile bSpace?
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

4. Research Questions
How do students currently use bSpace?
How do students use mobile technology?
Would students use mobile bSpace?
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

5. Methods
Interviews
Online survey
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

6. Interviews
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

7. Interview Participants
6 undergraduates and 3 graduates
Diversity of departments
5 females, 4 males
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

8. Interview Method
Met students in their study environment
Asked students how they study, how they use
bSpace, & how they use mobile phones
Observed students using bSpace
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

9. Survey
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

10. Survey Respondents
Engineering
34%
Sciences
11%
Business
36%
Humanities
8%
Others
12%
n = 725
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

11. Survey Respondents
Undergrads
54%
Grad-Masters 30%
Grad-PhD
12%
5%
Other
0
100
200
300
n = 726
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations
400

12. Survey Respondents
male
female
59%
41%
n = 725
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

13. Findings
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

14. How students currently use
bSpace
Approximately 75% of survey respondents said
they are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their
overall experience with bSpace
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

15. How students currently use
bSpace
Central place for resources:
“It just puts everything in just one place... so,
that’s pretty good.”
“I wouldn’t know what my homework was if
there was no bSpace.”
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

16. How students currently use
bSpace
Resources
Announcements
Assignments
Syllabus
Gradebook
Messages
Schedule
Tests and Quizzes
Drop Box
Forums
My Workspace
Email archive
Chat Room
Discussion
Wiki
Polls
Modules
News
n = 614
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
78.5%
77.9%
76.2%
64.2%
50.3%
31.3%
19.2%
15.3%
13.2%
12.5%
12.2%
11.6%
9.0%
6.5%
3.4%
2.4%
2.1%
1.8%
0
125
Methods
250
Findings
375
Recommendations
500

17. How students currently use
Top 5:
bSpace
Resources
Resources
Announcements
Assignments
Syllabus
Gradebook
Messages
Schedule
Tests and Quizzes
Drop Box
Forums
My Workspace
Email archive
Chat Room
Discussion
Wiki
Polls
Modules
News
n = 614
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Announcements
Assignments
Syllabus
Gradebook
78.5%
77.9%
76.2%
64.2%
50.3%
31.3%
19.2%
15.3%
13.2%
12.5%
12.2%
11.6%
9.0%
6.5%
3.4%
2.4%
2.1%
1.8%
Bottom 5:
Discussion
Wiki
Polls
Modules
News
0
125
Methods
250
Findings
375
Recommendations
500

18. How students use mobile
technology
Almost all survey respondents have mobile
phones
Over half (60%) of survey respondents access
the Internet on their mobile phones
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

19. How students use mobile
technology
42% of survey respondents reported needing
information from bSpace when they didn’t have
access to a computer within the last week
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

20. How students use mobile
technology
25% + of survey respondents already accessed
bSpace from a mobile device
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

21. How students use mobile
technology
3% reported that their mobile device was their
main mode of accessing bSpace
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

22. Would students use mobile
bSpace?
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

23. Would students use mobile
bSpace?
No!
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Meh.
Methods
Yes!
Findings
Recommendations

24. NO!
$ divide
"...unfair advantage to
those whose financial
abilities can provide
them with 24/7 bSpace
access regardless of
their location."
UC resources
Connectivity
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

25. NO!
$ divide
“Given the current
budget crisis, it would
be seriously inefficient
to start [the mobile
bSpace] program.”
UC resources
Connectivity
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

26. NO!
$ divide
“I don't like how
distracting mobile
technology is, so I
limit its impact on my
life wherever
possible.”
UC resources
Connectivity
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

27. MEH.
Don’t have a
smartphone
“I don't have a
smartphone, so it
seems pointless to
me.”
Not useful for
how
I use bSpace
Already have a
lot of computer
access
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

28. MEH.
“I don't need it. I
usually need it to
access documents to
print or read and
smartphones can't do
this and are too
small”
Don’t have a
smartphone
Not useful for
how
I use bSpace
Already have a
lot of computer
access
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

29. MEH.
I do not think that
this would be useful
because when you
are on campus you
are always close to a
library which has
computers.”
Don’t have a
smartphone
Not useful for
how
I use bSpace
Already have a
lot of computer
access
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

30. YES!
Access w/o
laptop
“I don't carry my
computer to class
because it is too
heavy, but I always
have my phone.”
More mobility
Information
anywhere
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

31. YES!
Access w/o
laptop
“Too many occasions
where I want to access
educational materials on
the go, but am unable to
do so currently (in an
efficient manner) unless I
get to a laptop.”
More mobility
Information
anywhere
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

32. YES!
Access w/o
laptop
“It would be nice to
look at the phone and
see ‘Oh, what do I
have to read this
week?’’’
More mobility
Information
anywhere
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

33. MORE
YES!
Better
communication
Better usability
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
“It would be a great idea,
as sometimes people
need access to up to the
minute announcements
about classes”
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

34. MORE
YES!
“I currently access the full
site from my mobile but
must zoom in and out many
times for viewing. It would
be useful because it’s hard
to use the normal bSpace
site on a mobile phone”
Better
communication
Better usability
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

35. How students would like to
use mobile bSpace
Respondents would . . .
n = 607
view course announcements (68%)
view assignments (65%)
access grades (61%)
receive real-time updates and notifications
(60%)
links to download articles & other info (53%)
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

36. How students would not
like to use a mobile bSpace
A majority of respondents would never . . .
Take tests and quizzes (60%)
Participate in polls (61%)
Communicate with classmates (73%)
n = 607
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

37. Recommendations
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

38. Is it worth developing
mobile bSpace?
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

39. Is it worth developing
mobile bSpace?
Yes*
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

40. *
There’s a large enough audience that would
find mobile access to bSpace useful
A portion of students are already accessing
bSpace on their mobile phones...and it’s not a
pleasant experience
Smartphone use is increasing
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

41. Things to Consider
Make it lightweight
Prioritize most utilized elements
Optimize these for mobile
Ensure multiple platform support
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations

42. Download the full report at
bit.ly/bspacemobile
Contact:
alison@alisonmeier.com
Project Introduction
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Methods
Findings
Recommendations