Usability Testing & Reflection Assignment
Usability testing has been one of the most valuable parts of building my online course. Because this professional learning experience is designed for my colleagues, it was important that the modules were intuitive, accessible, and supportive of different levels of experience with lesson planning and AI. I invited several stakeholders, each representing a different role in our program, to walk through the modules and share their honest reactions. Their feedback helped me see the course through their eyes and make meaningful revisions grounded in user needs, adult learning principles, and the COVA approach. This section highlights what I learned, the changes I made, and how the testing process strengthened the overall learning experience.
When I went through the modules, the layout and design made everything easy to follow, but I realized that if I wasn’t reading carefully, I could accidentally skip steps without completing the tasks. The instructions are clear, but the navigation made it easy to move ahead too quickly. I really liked the Padlet activity, but since I was the first one to complete it, I didn’t get the chance to collaborate or see anyone else’s posts yet. I think the activity works well, I just didn’t get the full collaborative experience. One thing I appreciated was having the welcome letter and the course overview presentation together. They kind of said the same thing but in different ways, which actually helped. Since I’m more of a visual learner, the presentation clicked better for me. I also really liked that all the AI tools and TEKS documents were linked . I saved them as bookmarks while I was going through the module, and that made me feel organized right away. The one thing I didn’t like is having to use the browser’s back button to move from step to step. It would feel a lot smoother if there was a ‘Next’ button at the bottom of each page instead of clicking back manually. In Module 2, I felt like I wasn’t always sure which documents or resources I should be using. Since I’ve never created a lesson plan before, it would help if you added a small note like, ‘Use this resource for this task,’ so beginners like me know exactly where to look as we complete the activities.
Program Site Assistant
Nia G.
Site Coordinator
Kaitlyn M.
I really think this course will be especially helpful for first-year coordinators. The structure, the explanations, and the walk-throughs all make sense if you’re still learning the basics. Since I’ve been a coordinator for a couple of years, I already knew a lot of what was in Module 1, so I moved through it pretty quickly. It wasn’t bad, but I just didn’t need as much of the foundational material. Because of that, I think long-time coordinators will appreciate having an option to skip ahead. Maybe something like a button or link that says: ‘If you are already familiar with XYZ, click here to jump to Module __.’ Our time is really limited, and something like that would help experienced coordinators feel like the course respects what they already know.
Afterschool Instructor
Gabby C.
I liked the modules a lot, especially because I’m still learning how to do lesson plans and I need to understand why every part matters. Module 2 helped me see the differences between school-day and afterschool lessons, and it actually made things make more sense for me. The only thing I wish is that I could submit a lesson I create and get feedback from you. That way I’d know whether the lessons I make are correct and if they’re good enough to use with kids right now. I think that would help me learn even faster and feel more confident.
Video Transcript
Hi everyone, my name is Tytiauna Goode, and in this video, I’m going to walk you through the usability testing I completed for the Start Here module and the first instructional module of the course I created. My goal was to make sure this course feels intuitive, accessible, and aligned to the real needs of afterschool coordinators who will eventually use it.
Who Participated in the Usability Testing
I intentionally invited three testers from different roles in our program so I could collect diverse perspectives:
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Nia, a Program Assistant who is very new to Texas ACE and new to lesson planning.
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Kaitlyn, a Site Coordinator and colleague who has been in the role for several years.
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Gabby, an Afterschool Instructor who is still fairly new but has been lesson planning all semester.
All three interact with lesson planning and program expectations in different ways, so their feedback was extremely valuable.
What Testers Shared
Feedback from Nia
Nia found the modules easy to navigate overall, but she noticed that if she wasn’t reading carefully, she could accidentally skip through sections by just clicking.
She loved the Padlet icebreaker but was the first to complete it, so she didn’t get the collaborative experience. She recommended adding a reminder to revisit it later once others contribute.
She preferred the course overview presentation over the welcome letter because she’s a visual learner, but she appreciated having both formats.
Nia also found the tools and resources page helpful and even bookmarked everything—but she pointed out that not everyone would think to do that naturally.
She didn’t like using the browser’s back button to move between sections and suggested I add internal “Next” and “Back” buttons.
Finally, because she’s new to lesson planning, she wanted clearer cues in Module 2—something like, “Use this resource to complete this activity.”
Feedback from Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn felt the course was perfect for new coordinators, but for experienced ones, she suggested a “skip ahead” option. This would keep veteran coordinators from feeling like they’re repeating information they already know.
She liked the structure of the course and appreciated that learners could take different pathways to success.
Feedback from Gabby
Gabby appreciated learning the why behind lesson planning and understanding the components that matter. She really enjoyed Module 2.
However, she wished she could submit her lesson plan for feedback right away so she could begin implementing what she created instead of waiting until the end of the course.
Changes I Made Based on Feedback
On the Landing Page -
I kept the structure the same but added a note letting experienced coordinators skip ahead to Module 3. This will eventually become a clickable link once Module 3 is built.
In Module 1 -
I added internal navigation buttons so learners no longer have to rely on the browser's back button to move through each step.
In Module 2 -
I added a clear note directing learners to use their TEKS document—and I linked directly to it.
As someone who has been lesson planning for years, that step felt obvious to me, but for someone new to OST education, it isn’t.
I also created a place for coordinators to submit their lesson plan for feedback. This supports real-time application and gives them something they can use immediately.
What I Learned From This Process
I learned that even well-designed pages can unintentionally cause confusion when instructions don’t include explicit cues. For example, the lesson comparison activity made sense to me, but without guidance on which documents to reference, it can easily become overwhelming.
Navigation needs to be extremely clear because people may click out of order or feel lost if there isn’t a direct path back to the module.
Learners need a balance between choice and structure—a foundational piece of the COVA model. They want flexibility, but they also want guidance.
Differentiation matters. New and experienced coordinators are not starting from the same place, so the course has to honor that.
Overall, the changes I made significantly improve the learner experience and make the course more user-friendly—which is essential if I want coordinators to remain engaged.
Reflections on Platform Choice
I built this course in Google Sites, mainly because it’s the platform our program already uses. It aligns with the workflow my colleagues are comfortable with, and it integrates easily with our shared drive.
That said, Google Sites is not my favorite platform. In the future, I’d love to shift this course to Wix, which allows more flexibility and better design features.
Final Thoughts
This usability testing was incredibly valuable. I’ve had this idea in my head since the start of the ADL program, and I thought building the course would be simple. Now that I'm actually creating it, I realize how intentional the process has to be.
If I want this course to be good, I have to be willing to put in the work—and it’s not something that can be done overnight. My hope is to have a refined, fully functional version ready for next school year.
Thank you for listening!