JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Mobile devices can provide extendable learning environments in higher education and motivate students to engage in adaptive and collaborative learning. Developers must design mobile applications that are practical, effective and easy-to-use, and usability testing is essential for understanding how mobile applications meet users’ needs. No previous reviews have investigated the usability of mobile applications developed for healthcare education.

Objective:

The aim of this scoping review was to identify usability methods and attributes in usability studies of mobile applications for healthcare education.

Methods:

A comprehensive search was carried out in ten databases, reference lists and grey literature. Studies were included if they dealt with healthcare students and the usability of mobile applications for learning. The data extraction sheet for included studies was completed by one author and checked by another author. Frequencies and percentages were used to present the nominal data, together with tables and graphical illustrations. Examples of these include a figure of the study selection process, an illustration of the frequency of inquiry usability evaluation and data collection methods, and an overview of the distribution of identified usability attributes. We followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping reviews.

Results:

Our scoping review collates 88 articles involving 98 studies, mainly related to medical and nursing students. The studies are from 22 countries and were published between 2008 and 2021. Field testing was the main usability experiment used, and the usability evaluation methods were either inquiry-based or user-testing methods. Inquiry methods were predominantly used: one-group design (n=46), control-group design (n=12), randomised control trials (n=12), mixed methods (n=12) and qualitative methods (n=11). User testing methods applied were all think aloud (n=5). Seventeen usability attributes were identified: satisfaction, usefulness, ease of use, learning performance and learnability were reported most frequently. The data collection method used most frequently was questionnaires (n=83), but only 19 studies used a psychometrically tested usability questionnaire. Other data collection methods include focus group interviews, knowledge and task performance testing and user data collected from applications, interviews, written qualitative reflections and observations. Most of the included studies used more than one data collection method.

Conclusions:

Field testing and experimental designs were the most commonly used methods for evaluating usability, including questionnaires as data collection methods. We recommend combining different usability evaluation methods to incorporate both subjective and objective usability measures. In future studies, it would be advantageous to use psychometrically tested usability questionnaires. In addition, developers of mobile applications should decide on the relevant usability attributes before conducting a usability study. Developing a reporting guideline would be beneficial and support future usability studies, and this scoping review can guide the planning and conduct of future usability studies in healthcare education.