Learning web form design by using the KLM form analyzer: a case study

Effective learning and teaching of concepts related to human computer interaction (HCI) require a balance between HCI theory and HCI practice. HCI education and training are particularly challenging in distance education contexts. In this paper, we present a learning activity designed using the ADDIE instructional design model to support instruction of established human performance models, namely the Keystroke Level Model and Fitts' law, and their application in web form design practice. The activity is mediated by KLM-FA, a tool which supports learning through exploration by providing step-by-step tracing of the KLM modeling for any web form filling task. KLM-FA can be used in modeling exercises of either online or offline web forms according to different interaction strategies or users' characteristics. Also, it comes with 40 pre-analyzed projects. A case study involving 88 students enrolled in a distance learning computer science curriculum provided promising results for the proposed activity. In specific, students' ratings of their tool-mediated educational experience were rather high (on average 4/5), their perceived usability of the KLM-FA tool was at a satisfactory level (mean SUS score=73.6), and their activity grades correlated significantly with KLM application (rs=0.548, p<0.01) and web form redesign (rs=0.540, p<0.01) essay grades.