Developing and implementing a Usability Test Plan for the Challenger Center's EngiLearn

This work focuses on usability testing of a computer-based simulation that immerses fifth graders in an underwater ocean exploration mission. In particular, the focus is on the testing the interface that teachers use during and after the mission to view student performance. The Challenger Center, a non-profit with a long history of inspiring young students to pursue careers in STEM fields through simulated space and exploration missions, is developing the simulation for use in classrooms. As with the traditional Challenger Center experiences that are conducted at regional "Learning Centers", students will answer questions "embedded" within this new classroom simulation throughout an entertaining adventure-style mission. Students' progress through these questions is displayed for the elementary school teacher to review during and after the mission on what has been labeled the "Embedded Assessment." This Embedded Assessment is the focus of the usability testing in this paper. The Usability Test plan consists of both internal testing and user-oriented testing. The university team completes internal testing and all results and recommendations are reported to the Challenger Center to be implemented before user-oriented testing. Internal testing is focused on assuring that functional requirements are met and the software is clear and intuitive. User-oriented testing incorporates potential users (i.e. teachers and students) to test the software, and asks them to give feedback on the overall experience. This stage of testing is focused on assuring that the software is easy to use and the end user is satisfied. This paper includes the comprehensive Usability Test Plan and the motivation behind each of the tests, along with internal test results and recommendations for improvement.