A significação da experiência de uso em um Ambiente Virtual de Aprendizagem: estudo de caso sobre a plataforma Moodle no CEDERJ

Abstract

This research aims to identify problems on the interaction between the Moodle platform and its users, on a case study approach. To achieve our goal we resorted to techniques of evaluation of digital interfaces which are consolidated in the academic field. Furthermore, using the Peircean approach to Semiotics, we have verified and discussed some matters of the communicational process involved in the interactive problems which were identified during our analysis. All this led us to sketch a general framework, named in this work "user experience", in which the evaluated interfaces have become the field of frustration and actions that our inspection was able to describe. Starting from this framework, it was possible to understand the user's mental model and to propose new solutions. Such solutions are based, mainly on the usability principals of Jakob Nielsen, Donald Norman and Steve Krug. Here it is clearly shown how Design contributes for the layout of an interface that invites to action and reflection, in order to offer a satisfactory interaction environment, that is also consonant to the new educational and cybercultural trends. It is also demonstrated how Semiotics may serve as a tool for the design professional to help him solve project challenges. By documenting methodologies and their results, this research supports good communication between designers, highlights the importance of subjectivity on interactional studies and proposes solutions to problems. Due to all mentioned above, this research presents as its final product a collection of information that is relevant to the understanding of Project Design history. Once the solutions proposed here have been put into practice, we hope that, in the future, these will be validated and that the impact of these changes may be evaluated. This way, it will be possible to assess how these changes will impact in the new interactional proposal and if those convert into user's experience satisfaction. In this way, we have intended that the interface main focus will now be the association between the user satisfaction and the learning process.