Testing usability in Moodle: When and How to do it

Testing the usability of a Moodle-based learning platform has been done many times before. Countless case-studies have identified weak points in the ever popular open-source system and sometimes, found solutions. Comparisons were made with other popular learning management systems (LMS), either commercial or free and open-source, with mixed results. These comparisons were usually employed as the tools for choosing one LMS over another, in the preliminary phase of adopting or developing a new e-learning platform. However, if the platform already exists, and has been functioning for a decent number of years, is it still necessary to test its usability? Considering that Moodle is currently on a bi-annual cycle for official releases and the online world is a very dynamic environment in need of constant adapting, the answer seems to be affirmative. Then, what are the main ways in which to test the usability of a learning platform (Moodle in particular), with its own characteristics which sets it apart from the general considerations of a web platform? Which of these methods are best suited for the different types of analyses we call “usability”? These are some of the questions that this paper tries to answer by analyzing the needs for usability testing and subsequently proposing a testing strategy for the “Campus Virtual” e-learning platform, the official online tool for managing the learning process in the Politehnica University Timisoara.