A software prototype of formative assessment: designing and usability measurement

The purpose of this study was to develop and measure the usability of the software prototype of formative assessment in the LMS. This study was applied in terms of research objective and mixed method (qualitative–quantitative) in terms of data collection in which an exploratory sequential mixed methods design was used. In addition, in order to collect data in the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews and focus group sessions were held, while in the quantitative part, a researcher-made questionnaire was employed. The content analysis coding method was used to analyze the data obtained from interviews. The findings of the qualitative phase of the research revealed that there are a total of 12 main needs and solutions to improve the LMS in the field of formative assessment. Moreover, based on these needs and solutions, five main processes of Dynamic Dashboard, Mirror, Treasure, Real Me, and Step-by-Step to the Goal were designed for the prototype of formative assessment software. Furthermore, one-sample t-test was used to analyze the data collected in the quantitative phase of the research. Findings showed that the developed software enjoys the necessary usability.