Mobile Learning portal [prototype]

20101117 Wed.

Today I created my first full-fledged WAP/mobile portal.
It is named "Mobile Learning portal [prototype]."
http://mobilelearning88.wirenode.mobi

Feeling happy and contented. This is my first step toward creating a prototype of Mobile Learning Portal with Learning Content.

I have spent 3 days searching for mobile learning portal using Google. Negative. Could not find any. My favorite elearning portal, W3schools, does not have a mobile/WAP portal. So, I will need to develop a prototype for testing my UET.

I have been reading & browsing about the best WAP/mobile sites. I have bookmarked them for future detailed reading.

Usability Inspection Criteria for e-Learning Portals

20101108 Mon 0820H
Formatted the draft Journal Paper according to iJIM/iJET format.

Font: Times New Roman 10.
Paragraph: 0.92 line, 2.5 points after.

Structure:
I. Usability & Importance to E-Learning
A. Definition of Usability
B. Concept of Usability Inspection & Heuristic Evaluation
C. Importance of Usability of E-Learning Portal
D. Usability Inspection Criteria

II. Methodology & Research Questions
A. Methodology / Research Direction
B. Research Questions

III. Usability Inspection Criteria
A. Before the Ten Heuristic Principles
B. Nielsen's Ten Heuristic Principles
C. Kapoun's Web Evaluation Criteria
D. Summary: Usability Inspection Criteria for e-Learning Portals

IV. Pilot Study
A. Results of Pilot Study
B. Limitations of Pilot Study

V. Main Study
A. Demographics
B. Data Collection and Analysis
C. Results of Main Study

VI. Conclusion & Future Works
A. Conclusion
B. Future Works

Total: 6 pages (excluding tables and charts)
No. of tables: 7
No. of charts: 2
Estimated total pages: 10

Paper for Journal: Usability Inspection Criteria for e-Learning Portals

I have written drafts - journal papers...which I intend to submit to some journals.
I am targetting iJET and JCAL.

Firstly,
Title: Usability Inspection Criteria for e-Learning Portals.
Authors: 1 Yeap, Michael Teck Chong; 2 Koo, Ah Choo, PhD; 3 Tengku Shariman, Tengku Putri Norishah.
First target: iJET - International Journal of Emerging Technogies in Learning.
Wordcount: 5,545.
Pages: approximately 9 pages (Journal format).
Draft pages: 21 (1.5 line spacing, Times New Roman 12).
V2 completed: 2/11/2010 (Tue) 0045H.
Hope to submit by mid November 2o1o.

Secondly,
Title: Learning-related usability criteria for usability evaluation of e-learning portals.
Authors: 1 Yeap, Michael Teck Chong; 2 Koo, Ah Choo, PhD; 3 Tengku Shariman, Tengku Putri Norishah; 4 Hew, Soon Hin, PhD.
First target: JCAL - Journal of Computer Assisted Learning.
Hope to submit by end November 2010.

V2 completed: 4/11/2010 (Thu) 0212H.
Wordcount: 8,008.
Pages: approximately 13-14 pages (Journal format).
Draft pages: 31 pages (1.5 line spacing, Times New Roman 12).

V2.1 completed: 5/11/2010 (Fri) 1626H.
V2.1: after Dr Hew's comment about too long; delete some subtopics, tables and charts.
Wordcount: 6,923.
Pages: approximately 9-11 pages (Journal format).
Draft pages: 17 pages (single spacing, Times New Roman).

2.1 Mobile Learning (Chpt 2 Literature Review) completed

20101022 Friday - 2310

Completed my write-up of 2.1 Mobile Learning.

Contains:
2.1.1 What is Mobile Learning?
2.1.2 Mobile Learning as a form of e-Learning
2.1.3 Characteristics of Mobile Learning

Future Plan:
2.1.4 Related Research Work

Decided to cancel 2.1.4 Usability Issues/Problems of Mobile Learning.
Reason: Most of these usability issues/problems are not relevant to my direction. Most of these...technical, connectivity, small screen, high cost, limited access...cannot be solved by usability evaluation. So, no point talking about problems/issues which are out of context of my research.

2.3 Usability Criteria 97% complete...until I suddenly found new materials :) + :(

20101021 - 15th Anniversary today.

2200 - I thought I was 97% complete...just waiting for the compilation of Usability Guidelines of HHS & GSA 2006.

2200 ~ 2300...I found some wonderful materials on Mobile Usability and Web Usability. So I think I just cannot ignore them.

2.3 Usability Criteria
status: ALL completed except 2.3.6 Mobile Usability and 2.3.7 Web Usability.

plan: Looks like I will only be able to complete this @Cititel, Penang....this coming Sunday - Tuesday.

Structuring my Literature Review

My problem is my Chapter 2 Literature Review file is very long. So, it is tedious to scroll such lengthy/many pages.

I decided to structure and chop the files into several files.

2.1 Mobile Learning

2.2 Usability

2.3 Usability Criteria

2.4 Usability Evaluation Methods

2.5 Usability Evaluation Tool

To zoom in...
2.2 Usability
2.2.1 What is Usability?
2.2.2 Why Usability Evaluation?
2.2.2 Usability related to Mobile Learning and Applications

To zoom in...
2.3 Usability Criteria
2.3.1 What is Usability Criteria?
2.3.2 Nielsen's Ten Heuristics
2.3.3 Kapoun's Five Web Evaluation Criteria
2.3.4 Learning/Pedagogical Usability
2.3.5 Usability Questionnaire Criteria
2.3.6 Web Usability Criteria
2.3.7 Mobile Usability Criteria
2.3.8 Su's Usability Criteria
2.3.9 Yeap's 36 Usability Criteria

To zoom in...
2.4 Usability Evaluation Methods
2.4.1 Three Categories of UEM
2.4.2 Usability Testing
2.4.3 Usability Inspection
2.4.4 Usability Inquiry
2.4.5 Think-Aloud Protocol Usability Testing
2.4.6 Heuristic Evaluation
2.4.7 Cognitive Walkthough
2.4.8 Usability Questionnaire

To zoom in...
2.5 Usability Evaluation Tool
2.5.1 Usability Checklists
2.5.2 Usability Questionnaire
2.5.3 Web-Based Tool
2.5.4 Support Tool

To zoom in...
2.1 Mobile Learning
2.2 Mobile Learning as a form of E-Learning
2.3 Characteristics of Mobile Learning
2.4 Existing Mobile Learning Applications

Nov 19, 2010...a Milestone...my Work Defense Seminar

Nov 19, 2010 - 1100 - Work Defense Seminar.

Received the date info from Supervisor.

Working backwards...
Submit Chpt 2 - Mon, 1 Nov 2010
Chapter 2 Literature Review - Sun, 31 Oct 2010
Submit Chpt 1 - Mon, 26 Oct 2010
Chapter 1 Introduction - Sun, 24 Oct 2010
Submit Work Defense slides - Mon, 18 Oct 2010
Work Defense slides - Sun, 17 Oct 2010

Now....16-17 Oct 2010 (Sat-Sun)...staying at Grand Seasons Hotel, KL.
Taking this opportunity to do my Work Defense slides - draft 4.

Nov 10 - Started writing Chapter 2 Literature Review

I restructured the Chapter 2 into 2 main sections.
2.1 Mobile Learning
2.2 Usability

Today, I wrote mainly on What is Usability?
Also wrote a little on What is Mobile Learning? and Usability Evaluation Methods.

Wanted to continue writing more on UEM but feeling slightly mentally tired.

Week of Nov 2-7: Progress Report

Was in Jakarta from Nov 1 (Sun) till Nov 7 (Sat).

Had achieved a lot of thorough reading of:

Rubin, Jeffrey. Handbook of Usability Testing.

Somervell, Jacob. Developing Heuristic Evaluation Methods for Large Screen Information Exhibits Based on Critical Parameters. [Dissertation, PhD in Computer Science and Applications]

Baker, Kevin F. Heuristic Evaluation of Shared Workspace Groupware based on the Mechanics of Collaboration. [Thesis, M.Sc.]

Good benchmark for me to write my chapters 1 and 2.
Through Rubin's book, I have understood more deeply about who, what, when and how of usability testing.

Oct 30 - Second F2F Meeting with Supervisor & Co-Supervisor

Second F2F Meeting with Supervisor and Co-Supervisor.
30 October 2009 (Friday)
10.00 am
At K-Space.

Plan for week Oct 19-24: Review Chapter 1,2; Download dissertations

Plan for week of Oct 19-24, 2009:
1) Review again Chapter 1 and 2.....for the purpose of part of the preparation for Proposal Defense.
2) Download dissertations related to usability evaluation, mobile learning.

Plan to use ProQuest to search for the relevant dissertations. Dissertations downloaded will be used as reference and benchmark for my planning of my Dissertation.

Last week, I did not manage to do what I planned to. Last Thursday & Friday, my notebook computer was down, i.e. after I went to K-Space. I think my computer was attacked when I was using the K-Space wifi.
What can I do to protect my computer?

Hope...to be able to try using some Usability Questionnaire this week....to cover what I missed last week.

Plan for Oct 12-17: Evaluate usability using Usability Questionnaires

Plan for week of Oct 12-17: experience using the Usability Questionnaires to evaluate usability of mobile websites/WAPsites.

Progress report for week of Oct 5-7:
I managed to read about many Usability Questionnaires. One particular questionnaire I could not find was CUSI.
I read about ASQ, PSSUQ, CSUQ, SUMI, QUIS, SUS,.....just to recall off-hand.
I did a total of 34 blog writings.

I am satisfied with this week's progress. Last week, I was too busy from Monday till Thursday, whereas on Friday, I was really mentally exhauted. Last Friday afternoon till last Saturday, I rested a lot (by supplementary naps and watching DVD to relax my mind).

Tue, Oct 6 - 2 blogs - @Cyberjaya
Thu, Oct 8 - 11 blogs - @Jakarta
Fri, Oct 9 - 14 blogs - @Jakarta
Sat, Oct 10 - 7 blogs - @Jakarta.

Hooray! Yippee! Yaahoo! I am registering for my PhD (CM) on next Thursday, Oct 15, 2009.

Plan for week Oct 5-10: Usability Questionnaire

Plan for this week of Oct 5-10 is to focus on Usability Questionnaire.

This is carried forward from last week.

Last week, Monday till Thursday I was too tied up. Friday noon, I was so exhausted that I slept, rested (by watching DVD) a lot till Saturday noon.

On Saturday, I did read an article (scanned pdf) on Usability Questionnaire but I did not blog about it.

Now, I am currently in K-Space. YES, I am determined to search and read about Usability Questionnaire this week. (Yesterday, at 2pm, I had the First Meeting with Supervisor. Co-Supervisor could not be there due to sudden change of his schedule.)

Plan for week Sep 28 - Oct 3: Usability Questionnaire

For next week, Sep 28 till Oct 3, I plan to read on Usability Questionnaire.

Usability Questionnaire:
SUMI
QUIS
PSSUQ
SUS
ASQ
CUSI

Usability Questionnaire is also a method used for evaluating usability. In my readings, I have come accross this methodology. I know the Usability Questionnaire would contain a set of questions.

I would like to know more about this. Usability Questionnaire is a type of usability evaluation tool. My research title is "Usability Evaluation Tool for Mobile Learning Applications."
Hence, reading up (literature review) on the popular types of Usability Questionnaire would definitely be useful for my knowledge.

Week of Sep 21-26: Progress Report

Now is Sat, Sep 26, 2009 @0056 (Malaysia Time).
WIB: 2356 - Fri - 25/9/2009. (WIB = Waktu Indonesia Barat)

I have completed reading 22 Jakob Nielsen's short articles (Alertbox).
Sep 21 -> 9
Sep 22 -> 3
Sep 23 -> 7
Sep 25 -> 3
I have chosen Alertbox articles for 2006, 2005 and 2004.

I will be flying back to KL tonight, ETA 2330.

Last week I read 21 Jakob Nielsen's short articles (Alertbox).

Week of Sep 14-19: Progress Report

Now is Sat, Sep 19, 2009 @2248.

I have completed reading 21 Jakob Nielsen's short articles (Alertbox).
Sep 19: 14
Sep 18: 5
Sep 14: 2

I have chosen Alertbox articles for 2009, 2008 and 2007.

Next week, I shall be reading articles for 2006 and earlier. Will be flying to Jakarta tomorrow, My next week's Literature Review will be done in Jakarta. :)

20090919-2251

Plan for week Sep 21-26: Jakob Nielsen on Usability

Plan for current week of Sep 14-19 was focused on Jakob Nielsen on Usability.
As at now, Sep 18 (Fri) @ 1600, I have read through 6 articles of Nielsen. All these are obtained from his useit.com website.

Favourite articles read were as follows:
1) Mobile Usability
http://michaelyeap.blogspot.com/2009/09/sep-14-mobile-usabiity-jakob-nielsens.html
2) Usability 101
http://michaelyeap.blogspot.com/2009/09/sep-18-nielsen-usability-101.html

For next week, I will continue to read (literature review) about Usability as per Jakob Nielsen. Main source would be from the same website (useit.com).

Plan for Sep 14-19: Jakob Nielsen on Usability Evaluation Methods

This week Sep 7-12, I have focused my reading on Usability Evaluation Method.

In short,
Usability Evaluation Method could be categorised into:
a) Usability Inspection,
b) Usability Testing,
c) Usability Inquiry.

2 most popular types of Usability Inspection are:
i) Heuristic Evaluation,
ii) Cognitve Walkthrough.

For Heuristic Evaluation, usability criteria (also known as heuristics, usability principles, usability guidelines) are used by double expert, expert or novice evaluators to evaluate usability.

Next week Sep 14-19, I plan to read (literature review) on Usability Evaluation Method as published by Jakob Nielsen or he together with other Researchers.

Jakob Nielsen is quoted by many as Father of Usability, or Father of Web Usability. He is very famous for usability inspection particularly the heuristic evaluation.

For that reason, I intend to read his works again. I read a lot of Jakob Nielsen's when I was doing literature review for my Master's Project dissertation. Many research papers, journal papers, Master and PhD dissertations do contain reference to Nielsen's papers.

Sep 5 -1240 - Moving to next folder

Sep 5, 2009 - 1240. I have completed reading/reviewing papers (for "Definition of Usability") in folder of ACM_usability_20080704.

Next, I will be moving to folder of usability_e-learning_theses_20080704. I will still remain interested to seek out "Definition of Usability" while reading through/reviewing the papers.

In the previous folder, I have found some definitions of Usability. But I am not satisfied because none of the authors had survey the definition or meaning of Usability in sufficient thoroughness. Most authors emphasised on the ISO definition of Usability only, some added Nielsen's definition. I hope to be able to find more diverse interpretation/view/opinion of Usability.

Hence, I hope in the next folder, I will find some author deliberating comprehesively on meaning of Usability.

Plan for Sep 7-12: theme = Usability Evaluation Method

Sep 7-12: Literature review theme would be "Usability Evaluation Method."
I plan to read papers/articles to extract knowledge pertaining to UEM.
I will also extract UEM knowledge from the papers/articles I have read during the past few weeks.

One article/paper I intend to review is:

The State of the Art in Automating Usability Evaluation of User Interfaces
MELODY Y. IVORY AND MARTI A. HEARST
University of California, Berkeley
folder: ACM_usability_20080704

A Comparative Evaluation of Heuristic-Based Usability Inspection Methods
Jarinee Chattratichart. Faculty of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics, Kingston University, Surrey, UK. j.chattratichart@kingston.ac.uk
Gitte Lindgaard. Human-Oriented Technology Lab, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. Gitte_lindgaard@carleton.ca
folder: ACM_usability_20080704