Usabilità ed efficacia di ambienti di apprendimento digitale in ambito linguistico

Abstract

Since the explosion of the pandemic in 2020, teaching and learning practices have been forced to switch from a face-to-face model to one mediated by a screen. This change has placed intense attention on the character of computer-mediated instruction. This paper explores these themes and focuses on formative digital spaces, analyzed from the point of view of usability: this concept includes efficacy and the ease and pleasantness of use of a system (Nielsen, 1994). In this study, two systems were considered: Moodle and WordPress. They share the goal of managing digital content, albeit with different objectives. In both platforms, accessible, open-source L2 Italian materials were made available. For the data collection, interviews, questionnaires, and software monitoring users’ behavior were employed. The analysis of the data sheds light on the learning experience of the users and their behavior, as well as on the efficacy of the environments and materials.