Understanding what students really need from a virtual learning environment
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The document describes a comprehensive user experience research program conducted by Duncan Stephen at the University of Edinburgh to understand students' and staff needs and frustrations with the Learn virtual learning environment. The research included qualitative interviews, usability testing of prototypes with over 5,000 responses, and observation of students. The mixed methods approach provided insights that no single method could, such as why students were not finding mock exam papers in Learn. The research informed the redesign of Learn templates, content organization, and notifications to improve the student experience.
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Understanding what students really need from a virtual learning environment
- 1. Duncan Stephen Understanding what students really need from a virtual learning environment User Experience Service The University of Edinburgh duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS →
- 2. Learn Foundations A project to ensure students and staff find Learn easy to use duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 3. Students are frustrated by inconsistencies across digital systems duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 4. Answer = “Make it consistent” …Obviously duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 5. Consistent how? duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 6. Solutions →Checklist →Terminology →Templates →Training →Automation →QA and audit duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 7. A comprehensive programme of user research, adopting multiple methods duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 8. Understanding what students really need Understanding how to support staff to better meet students’ needs duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 9. Qualitative research with students and staff duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 10. A semester in the life of students and staff using Learn duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 11. duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Students’ experience Frustrations around being made to use templates Love using Learn as a comms tool Time consuming to give good feedback Staff members’ experience Lack of trust in existing templates Overwhelmed by notifications Inconsistencies around assignments and feedback
- 12. Programme of targeted quantitative research duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 13. Quantitative research specifically designed to inform the development of the new template duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 14. The elements of user experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Conception Completion Diagram adapted from Jesse James Garrett: http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf User needs and business objectives Functional/content requirements Visual design Content design and interface design IA and interaction design Top tasks surveys with students and staff Card sorting with students Tree testing with students First click testing with students
- 15. Phenomenal response rates Almost 5,000 responses across five studies duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 16. The elements of user experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Top tasks surveys with students and staff Card sorting with students Tree testing with students First click testing with students Conception Completion Diagram adapted from Jesse James Garrett: http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf User needs and business objectives Functional/content requirements Visual design Content design and interface design IA and interaction design
- 17. Students’ top tasks duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Lecture slides Lecture notes/outlines/handouts Lecture recordings Past exam papers Top 3 tasks >25% of votes Next 4 tasks Almost halfNext 7 tasks Final 31 tasks 1. Lecture slides 2. Lecture notes / outlines / handouts 3. Lecture recordings 4. Past exam papers 5. Grades 6. Reading lists / study resources 7. Assignment deadlines 8. Assignment feedback / feed forward
- 18. The elements of user experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Conception Completion Diagram adapted from Jesse James Garrett: http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf User needs and business objectives Functional/content requirements Visual design Content design and interface design IA and interaction design Top tasks surveys with students and staff Card sorting with students Tree testing with students First click testing with students Ongoing usability testing
- 19. duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Course materials Assessment Course information Help and support
- 20. The elements of user experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Conception Completion Diagram adapted from Jesse James Garrett: http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf User needs and business objectives Functional/content requirements Visual design Content design and interface design IA and interaction design Top tasks surveys with students and staff Card sorting with students Tree testing with students First click testing with students
- 21. Gerry McGovern on testing a new structure for the first time: “You will have maybe a 60% success rate if you do it really well.” duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 22. Our success rates ranged from 67% to 93% duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 23. Worst performing task You need to contact a teacher. Where would you find their email address? 67% success 59% directness duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 24. The elements of user experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Conception Completion Diagram adapted from Jesse James Garrett: http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf User needs and business objectives Functional/content requirements Visual design Content design and interface design IA and interaction design Top tasks surveys with students and staff Card sorting with students Tree testing with students First click testing with students
- 25. Research has suggested that when users get the first click right, 87% ultimately succeed in a task Versus 46% who get the first click wrong Jeff Sauro, Getting the first click right: https://measuringu.com/first-click/ duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 26. We A/B tested the new prototype against existing Learn courses duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 27. These results were less positive But we learned some really valuable information duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 28. It’s coming up to exam time and you’d like to see some mock exam papers. Where will you find them? 30% selected Course materials 21% selected Resource list 42% selected Assessment duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 29. Past papers problem Past papers were the 4th top task duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 30. Past papers problem But they were not clearly grouped in the card sort duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 31. Past papers problem We placed it in the Assessment section. But students were not finding it. duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 32. Method triangulation to the rescue duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 33. The elements of user experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Conception Completion Diagram adapted from Jesse James Garrett: http://www.jjg.net/elements/pdf/elements.pdf User needs and business objectives Functional/content requirements Content design and interface design IA and interaction design Top tasks surveys with students and staff Card sorting with students Tree testing with students First click testing with students Ongoing usability testing
- 35. By watching just four students, we understood that they don’t look for past papers in Learn They Google for them duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 36. Without using a mixture of research methods, we would never have understood this duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 37. A service design approach duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Illustration by Megan Erin Miller: https://blog.practicalservicedesign.com/the-difference-between-a-journey-map-and-a-service-blueprint-31a6e24c4a6c/
- 38. duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS Illustration by Megan Erin Miller: https://blog.practicalservicedesign.com/the-difference-between-a-journey-map-and-a-service-blueprint-31a6e24c4a6c/ Students Lecturers School-based learning technologists Learn service, central support We’d like to make it easier to post announcements We’re rolling out enhanced announcements functionality! I have an announcement! Not another announcement…
- 39. By conducting research across this entire ecosystem, we are better placed to improve students’ experience duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 40. Find out more on our blog: edin.ac/uxlf duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 41. Duncan Stephen Thank you edin.ac/uxlf duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS
- 42. Duncan Stephen Questions? edin.ac/uxlf duncanstephen.net — @DuncanBSS