Designing an engaging E-learning user interface for primary school learners in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

The design of an engaging e-learning User Interface for Zimbabwean primary school students, specifically Grades 4–7, is the subject of this study. The specific objectives of this study were to explore the learning preferences of primary school learners in relation to e-learning interfaces in Zimbabwe, to design an e-learning user interface that maximizes engagement for primary school learners in Zimbabwe and to evaluate the effectiveness of designed user interface through user testing feedback mechanisms. The total respondents were 28 (16 learners, 10 teachers and 2 headmasters) purposively picked from school two schools in Nyabira Cluster, Zvimba District, Mashonaland West Province. The research followed an interprevisim philosophy and inductive approach to design an interactive, accessible and culturally sensitive e-learning user interface prototype. Open ended questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and observations of learners, facilitators and headmasters were used to gather data. Thematic analysis, narrative analysis and document analysis were all used in the data analysis. The results show that learners prefer interactive, multimedia-rich content while unreliable internet connectivity and expensive data plans prevent effective e-learning adoption. In order to improve usability, teachers underlined the necessity of offline functionality, teacher training, and localised content. The study designed Educulture user interface prototype with user-friendly navigation and adaptive learning tools. The prototype was presented to participants and their interactions were observed. Researchers documented real-time feedback, including user comments and suggestions, to evaluate usability and identify areas for improvement. Based on user feedback and evaluation accessibility, interactivity, cultural relevance and simplicity must be given top priority in the design of an e-learning user interface for Zimbabwean primary school learners.