Google Glass for Distance Learning: Using a Head-Mounted Display to Record and Stream Video for Education

Google Glass for Distance Learning: Using a Head-Mounted Display to Record and Stream Video for Education
Wearable computers with optical head-mounted displays have great potential to transform the way educators develop curriculums and deliver instruction. A Web-connected beta version of the Google Glass Explorer Edition with augmented reality technology was the first to become available to developers who have found it to be a unique and useful tool in online teaching and in the classroom. A website was designed to instruct users in basic operations and how to record and stream live video to remote locations. With proliferating adoption of mobile devices, it is important that online instructional websites are optimized to respond to a range of device capabilities. User experience is a key usability element to mobile learning success. This project was a cross-device, mobile usability study of the website eLearn.Glass.

The focus of the research was the users’ overall satisfaction and perceived ease-of-use, effectiveness, learnability, and attractiveness of the website’s design and layout. Data were collected using a concurrent, moderated method via Google Hangouts following think-aloud protocols. An un-moderated online method was also used to gather data as was a pre-survey and post-survey. Screen activity was recorded and data were aggregated for analysis and reporting. Two rounds of iterative usability testing were conducted with 6 participants with revisions after each round based on user feedback. Study results showed iterative evaluations improved ease-of-use, effectiveness, and overall user satisfaction.