Usability analysis of a learning management system in the context of social network

The aim of the current study is to analyze usability of social items related to social interactions in a learning management system. These social items are colleagueship, question and answer system, blog system, usage scores features, discussion groups and forum feature, content comment and scoring system, training recommendations, news source and user wall. The usability test has been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction of the social items. The research was carried out by a group of 5 persons working in the e-learning company and 5 other persons working in the field of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies (CEIT). The usability test was realized in the Middle East Technical University CEIT with Technology Enriched Learning Laboratory. In this test while the participants realized the tasks prepared in parallel with the experts opinions, observation was done by the researcher. The study data was collected in 4 phases: (1) gathering data on users profile through demographical questionnaire, (2) observation of user behaviors during the usage of Social items, (3) monitoring of the users eye movements through the eye tracking method to determine the users focus points, (4) collection of the user?s comments through the think aloud method. Four types of data was gathered from the observation: (1) task completion status for the identification of the effectiveness, (2) number of errors made during the task completion to designate of the efficiency, (3) time spent during the completion of the task to designate the efficiency, (4) comments made by the participants to designate the user satisfaction. Data collected from the study were analyzed by descriptive anaylsis, reporting percentages. The users? focus data collected from eye tracking were used to understand reasons of uncompleted tasks, errors and protracted task completion time. Success and fault rates, completion durations, think aloud and eye tracking findings of each task were summarized together as task based, to specify the usability problems. The results of the analysis showed the social items are effective and efficient but the user satisfaction of the social items is low. Based upon the findings; it is suggested to carry out work to increase the usability of the social items and to conduct usability test on the system periodically.