Exploring the relationships between Web usability and students' perceived learning in Web-based multimedia (WBMM) tutorials

The purpose of this case study is to better understand the relationships between Web usability and students’ perceived learning in the design and implementation of Web-based multimedia (WBMM) tutorials in blended courses. Much of the current research in this area focuses on the use of multimedia as a replacement for classroom instruction rather than as a complement to teaching practices in courses that meet face-to-face. This study analyzed data collected from 41 undergraduate students who accessed a series of WBMM tutorials to learn Web design in an upper-level undergraduate information science course that combines both in-class and online instruction. We provide a descriptive analysis of student survey responses and apply Kendall’s rank correlation coefficient to examine significant relationships (p < 0.05) between usability factors and students’ perceived learning performance. We also explore the impact of WBMM on other aspects of the course, such as readings, email, office hours, and computer lab. Findings indicate that students responded favorably to most of the usability factors defined in this study and that course lectures and readings may have been enhanced by this virtual resource. In addition, we identified a significant correlation between usability factors of the WBMM tutorials and how students perceive their own learning. This study suggests that multimedia instruction is an effective approach to teaching Web design in blended learning environments that include both face-to-face and Web-based resources. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.