Learners’ Evaluation of the Usability and Design Features of Chinese as a Foreign Language E-Learning Websites

Abstract

Given the dearth of research that explains phenomena related to usability and design issues affecting Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) e-learning websites, this study was launched, using a modified questionnaire, to explore answers for the following three research questions: 1) Do the learners use CFL e-learning websites to learn Chinese language? 2) To what degree CFL e-learning websites are usable from the perspective of the learners? 3) What do the learners think of the design features of CFL elearning websites? Thirty nine undergraduate students studying Level II of the CFL course at a Malaysian university where this study was launched responded to the questionnaire, out of which twenty two (56.4%) of them indicated that they used the existing CFL e-learning websites as a means to support their learning of the language. In addition, though the majority of this group of respondents ranked highly the usability aspect of the websites they used to learn the language, a small number of repondents expressed views over the design issues of the websites via the focus group interview conducted. This study envisages that the findings derived thereof will contribute towards providing instructors and course designers with a better understanding of relevant aspects causal to usability and design of CFL e-learning websites thereby enabling them to make informed decisions about future CFL elearning website design and development.