Skip to main content

Measuring the Usability of Augmented Reality e-Learning Systems: A User–Centered Evaluation Approach

  • Conference paper
Book cover Software and Data Technologies (ICSOFT 2008)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 47))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

The development of Augmented Reality (AR) systems is creating new challenges and opportunities for the designers of e-learning systems. The mix of real and virtual requires appropriate interaction techniques that have to be evaluated with users in order to avoid usability problems. Formative usability aims at finding usability problems as early as possible in the development life cycle and is suitable to support the development of such novel interactive systems. This work presents an approach to the user-centered usability evaluation of an e-learning scenario for Biology developed on an Augmented Reality educational platform. The evaluation has been carried on during and after a summer school held within the ARiSE research project. The basic idea was to perform usability evaluation twice. In this respect, we conducted user testing with a small number of students during the summer school in order to get a fast feedback from users having good knowledge in Biology. Then, we repeated the user testing in different conditions and with a relatively larger number of representative users. In this paper we describe both experiments and compare the usability evaluation results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bach, C., Scapin, D.: Obstacles and perspectives for evaluating mixed reality systems usability. In: Proceedings of Mixer Workshop - IUI-CADUI 2004, Funchal, pp. 72–79 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bowman, D., Gabbard, J., Hix, D.: A Survey of Usability Evaluation in Virtual Environments: Classification and Comparison of Methods. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 11(4), 404–424 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Costabile, M.F., De Angeli, A., Lanzilotti, R., Ardito, C., Buono, P., Pederson, T.: Explore! Possibilities and Challenges of Mobile Learning. In: Proc. of CHI 2008, pp. 145–154. ACM Press, New York (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Coutrix, C., Nigay, L.: Mixed Reality: A Model of Mixed Interaction. In: Proceedings of Advanced Visual Interfaces, Venezia, pp. 59–64. ACM Press, New York (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Davis, F.D., Bagozzi, R.P., Warshaw, P.R.: User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models. Management Science 35(8), 982–1003 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Dillon, A., Morris, M.: User acceptance of new information technology: theories and models. In: Williams, M. (ed.) Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, vol. 31, pp. 3–32 (1996); Medford NJ: Information Today

    Google Scholar 

  7. Gabbard, J., Hix, D., Edward Swan II, J.: User-Centered Design and Evaluation of Virtual Environments. IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications 19(6), 51–59 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hix, D., Gabbard, J., Swan, E., Livingston, M., Herer, T., Julier, S., Baillot, Y., Brown, D.: A Cost-Effective Usability Evaluation Progression for Novel Interactive Systems. In: Proc. of Hawaii Intl. Conference on Systems Sciences, Track 9, p. 90276c. IEEE, Los Alamitos (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hornbaek, K.: Current practice in measuring usability: Challenges to usability studies and research. Intl. J. Human Computer Studies 64, 79–102 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Hvannberg, E.T., Law, L.-C.: Classification of usability problems (CUP) scheme. In: Proceedings of Interact 2003, Zurich, Switzerland, September 1-5 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  11. ISO/DIS 9241-11:1994 Information Technology – Ergonomic Requirements for Office Work with visual display terminal (VDTs) - Guidance on usability (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  12. ISO 9126-1:2001 Software Engineering - Software product quality. Part 1: Quality Model (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kaufmann, H., Dunser, A.: Summary of Usability Evaluation of an Educational Augmented Reality Application. In: Shumaker, R. (ed.) HCII 2007 and ICVR 2007. LNCS, vol. 4563, pp. 660–669. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. Jeon, S., Shim, H., Kim, G.: Viewpoint Usability for Desktop Augmented Reality. The International Journal of Virtual Reality 5(3), 33–39 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Scriven, M.: Evaluation thesaurus, 4th edn. Sage Publications, Newbury Park (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sun, H., Zhang, P.: The role of moderating factors in user technology acceptance. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 64, 53–78 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Swann II, J.E., Gabbard, J.L.: Survey of User-Based Experimentation in Augmented Reality. In: Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Virtual Reality, Las Vegas, Nevada, July 22-27 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Theofanos, M., Quesenbery, W.: Towards the Design of Effective Formative Test Reports. Journal of Usability Studies 1(1), 27–45 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Venkatesh, V., Davis, F.D., Morris, M.G.: Dead or Alive? The Development, Trajectory And Future Of Technology Adoption Research. Journal of the AIS 8(4), 267–286 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Wind, J., Riege, K., Bogen, M.: Spinnstube®: A Seated Augmented Reality Display System. In: Virtual Environments, IPT-EGVE – EG/ACM Symposium Proceedings, pp. 17–23 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Pribeanu, C., Balog, A., Iordache, D.D. (2009). Measuring the Usability of Augmented Reality e-Learning Systems: A User–Centered Evaluation Approach. In: Cordeiro, J., Shishkov, B., Ranchordas, A., Helfert, M. (eds) Software and Data Technologies. ICSOFT 2008. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 47. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05201-9_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05201-9_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-05200-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-05201-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics