Context-aware mobile learning system: Usability assessment based on a field study

Abstract

Teaching-learning models supported by technology have evolved since the emergence of personal computers until the present day, where m-learning has been incorporated thanks to mobile technology. In this context, some works have proposed mobile learning systems (MLS). One of the main requirements of this kind of systems in terms of software quality is the usability. Therefore, the analysis and evaluation of the usability of MLS are especially relevant; however, few works have addressed the usability issues using field studies with students and professors in real domains. In this paper, we present a usability assessment of a Context-Aware Mobile Learning System (CAMLS) based on a field study with six professors and forty-eight high school students in a real environment. The results obtained from the usability assessment show that, on average, the services offered by the system have 82.4% acceptance by users (professors and high school students), with the learning reinforcement service through SMS messages having the highest acceptance for teachers, with a positive perception of 91.5%. Meanwhile, for the high school students, the Mobile Learning Objects (MLOs) suggestion service was highest with 81% acceptance. Based on the obtained results, the evaluated mobile learning system holds wide acceptance, satisfaction, and applicability from teachers’ and students’ perspectives. The usability assessment described in this study can serve as a reference for developers seeking to improve mobile learning systems development.