From Usability to User Experience in Mobile Learning Applications

Thumbnail Image

Files

isbn9789526071732.pdf (1.57 MB)

URL

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

School of Science | Doctoral thesis (article-based) | Defence date: 2016-12-16
Unless otherwise stated, all rights belong to the author. You may download, display and print this publication for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.

Authors

Date

2016

Department

Tietotekniikan laitos
Department of Computer Science

Major/Subject

Mcode

Degree programme

Language

en

Pages

177 + app. 143

Series

Aalto University publication series DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS, 255/2016

Abstract

The current popularity of smartphones among students provides a valuable opportunity for educational institutes to use such devices as an alternative medium in their portfolio of educational offerings. Mobile learning (m-learning) aims to overcome the traditional constraints on education such as the place and the time at which learning must occur. Therefore, m-learning applications are intended to overcome any constraints by enabling the educational offering to happen regardless of the time and place. However, the importance of user experience factors in the development of m-learning has not yet been extensively investigated. The case study research methodology was applied to validate the mLUX framework. The mLUX validation criteria were set to measure the following three perspectives: the user's goal and motivation; the case study application's performance based on both educational components and user experience; and expert evaluations. The purpose of this dissertation was to create a framework to help designers develop an error free, usable, and adjustable mobile learning application that also engages students emotionally. To achieve this goal, the overall aim of the dissertation was to study and propose a user-centered design framework for the development of m-learning applications. The theoretical part of this dissertation is based, on one hand, on the author's previous research as published in the licentiate thesis and, on the other hand, on an in-depth literature review concerning m-learning usability and user experience. Hence, the conceptual framework has been constructed to help in the identification and introduction of a new development domain in the field of m-learning. The empirical part of this dissertation is divided into two categories. First, the section containing the product development case studies is predominantly targeted at practitioners, with those involved in academic research being the secondary targets. The product development case studies employed the principles and methods of human-computer interaction (HCI) and user-centered design (UCD). The results contribute to the exploration, design, and development of a usability and user experience framework for an m-learning application (mLUX). The mLUX framework consists of three parts: role-players, the context of use, and the processes. The results of this study indicate that the applied user-centered design principles and methods ensure the usability of m-learning applications. However, as a concept, usability is not sufficient to emotionally attach users to an m-learning application. Therefore, this study recommends that user experience-related factors including delightfulness, reliability, satisfaction, and adjustability be considered as key factors when designing, developing, and implementing continuous usage for any m-learning application.

Description

Supervising professor

Nieminen, Marko, Prof., Aalto University, Department of Computer Science, Finland

Keywords

m-learning, usability, user experience, user-centered design

Other note

Parts

  • [Publication 1]: Amir Dirin, Marko Nieminen, Mirka Kettunen. 2013. Student capabilities to utilize mlearning service in new smart phones. International Conference on Advanced ICT for Education (ICAICTE 2013) September 20-22, 2013, Hainan, China.
    DOI: 10.2991/icaicte.2013.89 View at publisher
  • [Publication 2]: Amir Dirin, Marko Nieminen. 2014. Managing m-learning application development: Roles and responsibilities. International Conference on Advanced Information and Communication Technology for Education (ICAICTE 2014) August 16-17, 2014, Dalian, China.
    DOI: 10.2991/icaicte-14.2014.17 View at publisher
  • [Publication 3]: Amir Dirin, Marko Nieminen. 2015. Assessments of user centered design framework for m-learning application development. HCI International 2015, Los Angeles, CA, USA, August 2-7 2015. ISBN: 978-3-319-20609-7 (online), ISBN: 978-3-319-20608-0 (Print).
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20609-7_7 View at publisher
  • [Publication 4]: Amir Dirin, Marko Nieminen. 2016. Relevance of UCD education to software development - recommendation for curriculum design. 8th International Conference on Computer Science in Education (CSEDU 2016), April 21-23rd, 2016, Rome, Italy.
    DOI: 10.5220/0005797901120120 View at publisher
  • [Publication 5]: Amir Dirin, Maurizio Casarini. 2014. Adaptive m-learning application for driving licenses candidates based on UCD for m-learning framework. 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2014), April 2-4, 2014, Barcelona, Spain
  • [Publication 6]: Amir Dirin, Marko Nieminen, 2015. mLUX: Usability and user experience development framework for m-learning application. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technology (iJIM), Vol. 9, No. 3 (2015) ISSN: 1865-7923
  • [Publication 7]: Amir Dirin, Teemu Laine, Marko Nieminen, 2016. Sustainable usage through emotional engagement: A user experience analysis of an adaptive driving school application. Cognition, Technology & Work Journal. (Submitted July 2016)

Citation

Permanent link to this item

https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-60-7173-2

Collections

[diss] Perustieteiden korkeakoulu / SCI