Development of a usable website for an electric motorboat drag racing physics project

• Main Author: Barry, Reno Don
• Format: Others
• Published: CSUSB ScholarWorks 2006
• Subjects: Educational technology; Computer-assisted instruction; Web sites Design; Internet in education; Physics Study and teaching (Secondary) United States; Motorboats; Motorboat racing; Physics Study and teaching (Secondary); Web sites Design.; Instructional Media Design
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/3170; https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4243&context=etd-project

The project developed a web site for a high school physics projected called "Electric Motorboat Drag Racing." The web site was produced following the ADDIE instructional design model (analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate) and was designed using key usability concepts identified through research: speed, content, appearance, and navigation (SCAN). The web site was developed and tested by asking experts for their feedback and by having participants use the web site. The web site was implemented in physics classrooms and data from 43 participants were evaluated. The data showed 97 percent of the participants' boats successfully completed the five-meter drag race. It also showed that the two targeted California physics standards were selected most often by participants as the standards they most needed to apply, learn, or review to complete the project. Through testing and evaluation, the web site was made more usable and the project helped physics students learn and apply specific physics concepts while gaining hands-on experience.