Faculty-centered Web-based Learning Modules
Design of a training tool to support faculty teaching and advising

Description

The purpose of this project was to develop an interactive, user-centered, self-contained web-based training tool to support faculty teaching and advising of international students and domestic ethnic minority students.

The modules needed to be generic & interactive in order to aid faculty in quickly identifying and solving student issues. The modules also had to meet the Sec. 508.c guidelines and still have a good degree of interactivity. An additional requirement was that it should blend with the official color scheme of Virginia Tech.

Outcome

Two learning modules - Awareness & Adaptation - were developed as per the requirements. An extensive survey of graduate students was conducted and the results were used to develop the content for the website and an additional tool that would enable faculty to choose teaching techniques that encompassed various learning styles. Usability tests were performed on the website with university faculty members as the participants in order to validate our designs.

A color scheme for the website was created within the university’s branding guidelines and was tested for compatibility with color blindness and low vision users. Additionally, the font sizes were made adjustable to improve the accessibility of the websites. Several information design techniques such as Gestalt principles, color theory and information hierarchy were used to enhance the presentation, readability and comprehension of the materials provided.