Role of UX Research in EdTech

Four decades ago, you may have been hard-pressed to even find a computer in a classroom. I went to an extremely small school, and I remember the year that the Apple IIe made its appearance. I must have been in sixth grade. We played Number and Word Crunchers and, of course, the infamous Oregon Trail. My teacher's sister worked in programming and would come once a week to teach us Basic. My friend got ahold of some basic programming magazine where there was code to create some sort of game where you fly your ship through a meteor field. It. Was. Awesome. 

That was then. This is now. In just fifty years computers have become such an integral part of our lives that there isn't much we could do without them. When teachers used to say we wouldn't have calculators in our pocket wherever we go- how wrong they were! Gone are also the days of the basic interface… pixelated images on a basic side scroller, or Pacman-style mazes. Point-and-click interfaces have long since replaced those outdated designs along with artificial intelligence being the new "space race". Before switching careers, I was in the classroom for 17 years. In one position the students used LMS to access all their lessons online. In my next position, in a matter of seven years, my classroom evolved from using a handful of desktop computers to laptops from a laptop cart to 1:1 iPads. Each day students were required to log into a program to practice their reading skills. During COVID-19, when everything moved to remote learning, I adapted our textbook lessons to online ones using EdTech programs such as Nearpod, and I continued to use EdTech adaptations to not only make lessons more accessible but hopefully more engaging. 

I became drawn to UX, without knowing what it was even called, through working with particular EdTech programs that were meant to help students learn, but instead, I found that students just became more frustrated. I knew things could be better, more intuitive. Learning cannot occur if a student becomes frustrated at accessing the content they need. I remember needing to cover in another classroom and students were assigned reading in an online textbook. It took seven clicks to access the very page the students were assigned to read. While the 3-click rule may be false, this UI also ignored basic practices such as good navigation and minimal load times. Many of today's students lack motivation and just as many choose not to ask for help. Therefore, getting lost in the navigation, a student might give up and go back to watching TikTok, or something equally satisfying.

Effective UX research in EdTech is paramount to creating intuitive, engaging, and motivating learning experiences for students. By conducting thorough UX research, EdTech developers can create tools that not only meet the functional needs of students but also inspire and engage them in the learning process. This ultimately leads to more effective and enjoyable educational experiences.

The Importance of User-Centric Design in EdTech

User-centric design in EdTech is so essential for students, teachers, and administrators. For this piece, I will focus on students specifically. Through UX research we can identify how students naturally interact with digital tools and anticipate their needs. For instance, I've already brought up TikTok, a social media that most students today are intimately familiar with. They can teach us a lot about how they use this tool, navigating through the myriad of videos, curating a "For You" page with specific interests, and creating a video for upload. TikTok has a streamlined interface because they understand their market and their preferences. Their designers have created clear and intuitive navigation paths and have reduced confusion and frustration. EdTech tools should also reflect these principles in their design. 

While the reading software I used in my classroom offered a user-friendly interface, it lacked sufficient support mechanisms to guide students who encountered difficulties. This omission hinders the overall learning experience.

Students also need engaging content. While one might argue that it is not our job as teachers to entertain, it's becoming increasingly difficult to compete against the apps designed specifically to distract us. UX research helps us to identify the most effective ways to present information based on student learning styles and preferences. Incorporating gamification, quizzes, and simulations can also make learning more enjoyable and interactive. Combining text, images, videos, and audio can also enhance understanding and retention. The aforementioned reading program did that well, however, some students found the media as "cringe" and "not relevant"… so perhaps some research on the best way of retooling the media to be more interesting. 

In my time teaching, I saw my fair share of unmotivated learners. UX research can help create more meaningful and motivating experiences through practices such as personalized feedback that encourages students to continue to learn and improve, plus tracking progress through visualization so students can see the value of their efforts. Collaborative features such as group discussions and peer reviews can foster a sense of community and motivation. However, just copying what other apps have done in the past isn't enough. The users (students, in this case) must be studied to see how best to encourage their motivation to learn. 

Key Areas of Focus for UX Research in EdTech

The first step to effective UX Research would be to clearly understand your user groups. Not all students are equal. Socioeconomic differences, neurodivergent differences, learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and socio-emotional factors, along with technological literacy and physical impairments and limitations all need to be considered to develop effective learning experiences for all students. The great thing about all this? Build a ramp and all people can use it. Design software to be considerate of the various challenges of students, all students will still be able to use it. 

Once you have identified and understood your users, you can begin to decide which methodologies will be effective in learning their pain points and challenges. However, certain traditional research methodologies do not necessarily work the same with children as they would for adults.  It is important to adapt these traditional UX methodologies to account for their unique cognitive, emotional, and behavioral characteristics. A researcher must employ age-appropriate techniques such as observation and play-based activities. For example, young children are natural storytellers. Have them tell you how they overcame a problem and/or express their feelings about a pain point through drawing. Use clear and simple language in communicating with them, keep sessions short to maintain their interest and attention, and utilize positive reinforcement and rewards to encourage participation.  

UX Research Methods for EdTech

When working with older children, more traditional UX research methods may be appropriate. User interviews may prove to be helpful, along with surveys, A/B, and usability testing may work well. However, with younger students, researchers will need to adapt their approach. Child interviews, structured or semi-structured, may help to gather their perspectives on technology. Other times, a contextual interview, one where you simply observe the child interacting with the product, will need to suffice. Card sorting would be a fun activity to do with children and could prove very informational as to their insights into how things would group. A modified diary study could also be utilized. Diaries could be paper or digital, using social networking platforms or text and email messages. UXMatters.com has an informative article on implementing diary studies with children and teenagers. "Paper diaries can be fun to complete for younger kids, in the age range between 6 and 9 years of age. However, these need to be in the form of activity books, workbooks, or explorer journals that support journalling activities with which children are already familiar. They may contain additional elements that add fun to the experience such as stickers, badges, images, or arts and crafts materials." (Bock) 

Case Studies of Successful UX Research in EdTech

Kahoot! For All - designing for a more inclusive Kahoot! I highly recommend this whitepaper for every EdTech product team. It includes insights from co-design activities with students and teachers, empathy interviews, rapid prototyping, and team representation through Social Cipher. Implementing these methods, or variations of such methods, should result in more inclusive and accessible EdTech tools.

Summary

The world of education has undergone a dramatic shift since the days of pixelated side-scrollers! Technology is woven into the fabric of our classrooms, and EdTech tools hold immense potential to enhance learning. However, for them to truly thrive, effective UX research is crucial.

This article explored how UX research can create:

• Intuitive navigation: Minimizing frustration and making learning materials easily accessible.

• Engaging content: Catering to different learning styles and preferences through interactive elements and multimedia.

• Motivating experiences: Providing personalized feedback, progress tracking, and collaborative features.

But how do we achieve this?

Understanding the diverse needs of students is key. This includes considering factors like socioeconomics, learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and technological literacy. Adapting UX methodologies for children through techniques like observation, play-based activities, and storytelling is also essential.

This is where your voice matters!

We're all invested in creating the best learning experiences for students. Share your thoughts! Have you encountered any EdTech tools that excel in user experience? Did you find certain features particularly frustrating? Let's build a conversation around UX research in EdTech and work towards creating engaging and effective tools that empower students to learn.