Development of design criteria and evaluation scale for web-based learning platforms

Abstract

Standardized and objective design criteria for evaluating web-based learning platforms can effectively distinguish the quality of a platform and, therefore, contribute in improving web-based learning outcomes. This is a two-phase study, in which Delphi technique and heuristic evaluation were employed in the first phase to develop the evaluation criteria and scale of web-based learning platforms; in the second phase, questionnaire survey, real online evaluation, and experts` analyses were used to analyze the reliability and validity of the developed scale. Contributions of this study include (1) providing an example of developing evaluation criteria for web-based learning platforms via a standardized procedure; (2) developing a reliable and valid scale for evaluating web-based learning platforms; and (3) establishing a basis for guiding and evaluating the design of a web-based learning platform, as well as enhancing the quality and development of a web-based learning environment.