Students are some of the most vulnerable user demographics on the internet. With new technologies coming out almost daily, it’s easy to forget about their needs.

What is User Experience Design? UX design is the process of designing digital products that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also easy to use. The end goal is to improve the user’s experience while using the product.    

How UX can help with Student Performance In recent years, there has been a shift from a traditional pedagogy to a student-centered approach to instruction. For many teachers, this new philosophy can be quite daunting and frustrating, as they have no experience designing materials for their own classrooms. Teaching is not something that comes naturally for everyone, so tools like user experience research can significantly improve the teacher’s performance as well as the students’.  

Why is UX Important for Education? UX design is a vital element when designing educational content. The goal of UX in education is to enhance the user’s learning experience, increase engagement, and improve retention. In order to do this, UX designers need to be experts in psychology and pedagogy. They must understand what principles are used to teach students effectively. They must know what types of cognitive tasks are appropriate for various subjects and grade levels. And finally, they need to know what makes people learn.    

The Importance of UX for Learning Apps The most important factor in the success of an app is User Experience. Poor UX can have a serious impact on how well students learn. The designers of learning apps should be aware of the four components of UX: usability, functionality, efficiency, and desirability. Focusing on the Learner’s Needs, not the Teacher’s Needs When it comes to the design of educational systems, there is often an over-emphasis on trying to satisfy the needs of teachers rather than learners. Often, this manifests in instructional designers designing systems that are responsive to the needs of teachers, but not learners themselves. To help change this trend, instructional designers need to examine their work with a learner-centered lens and focus on what is actually needed by learners.

Add More Interactivity to Learning Applications Interactive learning applications have the potential to help students learn and retain more information. Add a quiz or a feedback loop to a workbook, a digital textbook, or an assessment. Receiving immediate feedback on their work will help students understand what they need to do next and provide them an opportunity to go back and try again.  

Leverage the Purpose of the Course Knowing the purpose of the course is essential to understanding how, or if, UX can improve student performance. For example, a course designed for certifying someone as a specialist in a subject needs to provide information and resources that will help learners pass an assessment. In such cases, integrating UX into the course design process may involve evaluating what’s already on the site, and identifying any content gaps. Conclusion I hope you’ve found this blog helpful and informative. The next step is to go out and apply some of these ideas to your own practice, and see what works for you.