Prototype and Testing

Initial Prototype and Learner Testing

Introduction of the initial prototype

The Home page of the website includes three parts, a rotating image to catch the eye, a four-step progression path, and a test of the study strategies students currently possess.

The navigation consists of six sections, Home, Quiz, Learning Strategies, Forums, Resources, and My Profile, with the home page as described earlier.

The purpose of the Quiz is to understand the learning strategies that students currently have so that the website can adapt to recommend appropriate content to the learning strategies that students lack.

The Learning Strategies page provides students with research-proven high and low effectiveness learning strategies in accordance with the ICAP framework to help students gain a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of the strategies they are using and to help them use effective learning strategies in their future studies.

The Resources page includes articles, videos, Apps, and academic research papers on learning strategies.

Revised Prototype (The Second Time) and Learner Testing

Revisions based on the Testing Feedback

Other Revisions

Add My Profile page where the system generates its own profile, including basic student information, the student’s four-step progression path, badges, etc.

Revised Prototype (The Third Time) and Three Learners’ Testing

User Testing #1

Student Profile

A 19 year old student at UNC practiced using this prototype in an apartment. No directions were given on how to use it (to avoid biases). The only thing told to the student was the prototype is an application for senior high school students.

Tester feedback

• Add a function to give badges to other users. This way point system can be used to track progress through the website, and badges can serve primarily as a social learning component.
• Add a new section in Resources – “Learning Techniques” or “Study Methods” with detailed info about each activity eg. “How to make mind maps”, “How to succeed in a group project” etc. The tester said: “it’s nice to know which learning activities are more effective than others, but it will be helpful to have some guidance on how to use them properly, especially something like mind maps and so on”.
• On the Learning Strategies page, there are so many examples for each ICAP level, so much text that people are likely to skip through some. It might be better to make a graphic with keywords that will be clickable. When you click, it shows a more detailed description. 
• On the Forum, make an option of creating a private forum for a particular school (like GroupMe and Patio).
• Make sure that when people post on the forums, their level is displayed next to their name and pic. 
• Change pic in Home for something fun, maybe the animals. 

User Testing #2

Student Profile

A 18 year old student at Durham College practiced using this prototype on zoom. Brief introduction about the purpose of this product was given and no directions were given on how to use it (to avoid biases).

Tester Feedback

User Testing #3

Student Profile: A 21 year old student at UNC practiced using this prototype in an apartment. No directions were given on how to use it (to avoid biases). The only thing told to the student was the prototype is an application for senior high school students.

Tester feedback

Overall the different sections she thought was clear and all of the information we provided about ICAP was helpful.

The layout was easy to use, changing the design (colors/adding pictures) could be something to keep in mind for the look of the app

AI could be something that we add, but could go without. There are lot of resources for the students to access.

Revisions based on the Testing Feedback

Extract keywords for Learning Strategies to make it easier for users to read.

Access the Revised Prototype using the link