I would like to suggest a new discussion forum titled "Usability Issues" so as to differentiate usability from functionality.
I've been evaluating Moodle for over a year now, and am quite impressed. I am currently running a test pilot involving over 500 students at a Texas community college, and have had received positive comments from both instructors and students. I've also presented about Moodle at a state distance learning association convention to spread the word.
Throughout the extensive testing I've done, I have seen that a vast majority of issues we have involving Moodle are usability-based, not functionality-based. Simple usability issues, like the lack of a button or the inability to perform group operations in a module, tend to add up over the course of a grading or administrative session. The reduction of mouse movements not only keeps our wrists healthy, but it also speeds up the Moodle administration process, leaving more time for productive work. I realize there is a lot of activity currently going on with the new Moodle releases, but some of us are still trying to ferret out the usability issues in the previous releases!
I've started a "todo" list of sorts that I add to whenever I find a usability issue that I'd like to address at some point in the future. Folks are more than welcome to add to this list, found here.
--Brian
Hi Brian, great list! We're running Moodle with about 500 students here (Cal State, Humboldt), also. We are just completing a faculty survey which brings up some usability issues, I'll post here or if you get your forum, there
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Regarding this:
Grading module is primitive, doesn't allow for weighted grades, etc. I will try to implement basic weighting functionality when I get a chance. In the meantime, export as a CSV file, import to a spreadsheet, and do the work there.
We've implemented a new gradebook, available now in CVS/contrib or on our download site, described here. What do you thinK?
I've also set up the spellchecker, and it works great in many modules. This is a difficult issue to include with moodle standard install, as you really want to use compiled code for this, not php (due to performance issues). The aspell method works pretty well, but you'd need a different aspell binary for every different server OS, which would greatly increase the download size as well as the complexity of installation.
Regarding this:
Grading module is primitive, doesn't allow for weighted grades, etc. I will try to implement basic weighting functionality when I get a chance. In the meantime, export as a CSV file, import to a spreadsheet, and do the work there.
We've implemented a new gradebook, available now in CVS/contrib or on our download site, described here. What do you thinK?
I've also set up the spellchecker, and it works great in many modules. This is a difficult issue to include with moodle standard install, as you really want to use compiled code for this, not php (due to performance issues). The aspell method works pretty well, but you'd need a different aspell binary for every different server OS, which would greatly increase the download size as well as the complexity of installation.
I'll check both out, thanks! The entries in our list are made as they come up; I encourage the adjuncts to add to the list as they come across the "small things" that are sometimes forgotten. As time permits, I work my way through the list. I would very much like to see your list of usability issues as well once you have them compiled. You can post them on the wiki if you like, just create a new page and I'll pull them into out list.
--Brian
--Brian
I agree usability is extremely important. Since my own work involves a lot of analysis and critiquing for usability I'm a bit of a critic when it comes to usability of a Web site and I have little patience for Web sites that aren't usable.
However, I'm not sure whether the most efficient way to increase usability is to create a special forum for discussing it, or even creating a page for it as you have done elsewhere than Moodle. It might be better to encourage your teachers to submit requests directly to Moodle's bug tracker. A forum would be helpful I think simply for discussing and deciding what the best usability practices are, as there are some issues that it is not universally agreed upon.
However, I'm not sure whether the most efficient way to increase usability is to create a special forum for discussing it, or even creating a page for it as you have done elsewhere than Moodle. It might be better to encourage your teachers to submit requests directly to Moodle's bug tracker. A forum would be helpful I think simply for discussing and deciding what the best usability practices are, as there are some issues that it is not universally agreed upon.
The problem with the bug tracker is that things tend to get swallowed up there. It's a daunting interface for many, and I question how many non-development folks take the time to search through the bug tracker for usability issues.
I certainly agree there are no universals when it comes to usability. However, this should't deter us from having discussions about ways to improve usability. I can even envision a repository of usability enhancements that, while not part of the official Moodle source tree, could be selectively applied to Moodle installations. This would be the ideal way to approach the subject, as it would offend no one by forcing something on those who don't want it.
Usability issues seem to get sidetracked by functionality issues. Personally, I find it easier to work around the latter than the former. In a class of 25 or 30, working on an iBook with a trackpad, I can easily make the case that a single grading session might take upwards of 500-600 trackpad motions. Multiply that by a couple of classes, with three nights of grading a week, and I think you can see why conservation of cursor movement is something that bears discussion. But I wouldn't call this a "General problem," because it's really not a problem, but rather an inconvenience that has an impact on instructor productivity (mainly, my own after getting tired of driving the trackpad for extended periods).
This is but one example. I'm fairly confident I am not the only user in the known universe who values this idea of "conservation of cursor movement." It's the small things like this that often fall through the forum cracks because of the general perception that there isn't a solution that will make everyone happy.
--Brian
I certainly agree there are no universals when it comes to usability. However, this should't deter us from having discussions about ways to improve usability. I can even envision a repository of usability enhancements that, while not part of the official Moodle source tree, could be selectively applied to Moodle installations. This would be the ideal way to approach the subject, as it would offend no one by forcing something on those who don't want it.
Usability issues seem to get sidetracked by functionality issues. Personally, I find it easier to work around the latter than the former. In a class of 25 or 30, working on an iBook with a trackpad, I can easily make the case that a single grading session might take upwards of 500-600 trackpad motions. Multiply that by a couple of classes, with three nights of grading a week, and I think you can see why conservation of cursor movement is something that bears discussion. But I wouldn't call this a "General problem," because it's really not a problem, but rather an inconvenience that has an impact on instructor productivity (mainly, my own after getting tired of driving the trackpad for extended periods).
This is but one example. I'm fairly confident I am not the only user in the known universe who values this idea of "conservation of cursor movement." It's the small things like this that often fall through the forum cracks because of the general perception that there isn't a solution that will make everyone happy.
--Brian
On tip on grading assignments: use your tab key to tab through assignment submissions and you page down and arrow keys to set the score.
I figured this out when we were testing our gradebook, adding dummy grades for 400 students to test the load.
Of course, it doesn't help with how long it takes your browser to render all those feedback windows. Tip here is divide your course into groups of about 50 students each, then grade one group at a time.
I figured this out when we were testing our gradebook, adding dummy grades for 400 students to test the load.
Of course, it doesn't help with how long it takes your browser to render all those feedback windows