National Science Digital Library/Distributed Learning (NSDL) Customer Satisfaction Survey

Appendix A
Screen Shots
NSDL Experimental Simulation Date Collection Instrument

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NSDL Usability Study

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•Scenario and Instructions
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Scenario: You are an sth grade science teache1· and your class is studying ea1th science. Your students
have studied fossils and layers in the ea1th and your next lesson introduces plate tectonics and the
movement of continents. You are trying to put together a lesson plan built with good online resources
for your students.

Instructions: In this exerdse, you will peifotm four tasks aimed at finding online resources that could
contribute to such a lesson plan. For each task, start at your website. Spend the entire allotted time
finding the best examples you can of the online resources described in the task instructions. For each
resource that you are satisfied with, please copy and paste its web page's URL (web addrer.s) in the box
titled "Resource Web Page URLs;'' Please also write the title of the web page in the box titled "Resource
\'leb Page Titles." If in the allotted time you have not found any resources that you are satisfied with,
please write "No Resources Found" in the first box.
\'/hen a task's time has expired {as indicated by the study administrator), please dick "Submit
Resources• and move on to rate the tar.ks and results. \'/hen all four tasks are complete, you will answer
a few final questions and then submit the exercise.

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Figure F.2 NSDL Usability Study: Scenario and Instructions

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NSDL Usability Study
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Fossils l?rai;;tice Tasl<

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\Ve11 sta1t first with a quick practice task designed to familiarize you with the process of finding
educational mateiials on your assigned website. You have 5 minutes for this practice task.
1. Open a new browser window (e.g., in Firefox or Internet Explorer) and go to your web$ile.

2. Sta1ting from this webSite, find some instructive material about fossils appropriate for 8th graders.
This can be an image, some explanatory text, or both - anything that fits the request.
Please note that the website you have been assigned is a po1tal to other websites and content. Vlhile
you should always sta1t at the assigned website, the resources you ultimately find may be from linked
sites.
3. Once you have found a web page about fossils, please copy the web address (URL) into the box
below on the left. The web address will almost always begin with http:// and can be found at the top of
your browser.

4. Add the title of the web page in the box below on the 1ight.

5. Then dick the "'Nexta button.

1. Resource Well Page URLs
(write each URL on a new line)

2. Resource Well Page Titles
(write each title on a new line)
_:_)

Figure F.1 NSDL Usability Study: Fossils Practice Task

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NSDL Usability Study
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1. How hard or easy was it to use this system to locate these resources?
Mt at ;i,!I easy

some•..,·here in
between

Very tJ.sy

Choose:

2. How helpful were the search tools for zeroing in on the right resources?
not at all helpful

Choose:

some~1here

in

very helpful

beh..-een
(

3. How do you feel about the amount of time It took to find these
resources?
not at all quick

somewhere In

between

very quick

Choose:

4. Do you think there were enough good resources from which to choose?
not enough good
choices

some11here In

\'try many good

cholces

,,

Choose:

5, How satisfied are you with the e.xperlence of finding plate tectonics
Images and text, and with the search results?
not at all satisfied

somewhere in

be.tween

Choose:

6. If you have additional comments, enter them llelow. Also, please wait for
the administrator's announcement before moving to the next task.

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Figure F.4 NSDL Usability Study: Questions About Finding Text and Images

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NSDL Usability Study
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0Jask 2: _Fini.ling Interactiv:e

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Task 2: Go to your assigned website and .spend 10 minutes finding
(1) a good video or animation that illustrates to students the concept of plate tectonics, and
(2) an interactive activity that students can do, either online or in the classroom, to reinforce any of
these concepts.
Note that there are hvo sets of answer boxes: one for the video/animation and one for the activity.
Remember, please stay on this task until prompted to move on by the administrator.

1. Resource Web Page URLs for Video/ Animation
(write each URL on a new line)

.::..!
2. Resource Web Page Titles for Video/ Animation
(write each title on a new line)
~1

.::..!
3. Resource Web Page URLs for Interactive Activity
(write each URL on a new line)

.::..!

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Figure F.5 NSDL Usability Study: Task 2

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NSDL Usability Study
4. Resource Web Page Titles for Interactive Activity
(write each title on a new line)
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Figure F.6 NSDL Usability Study: Task 2, Continued

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NSDL Usability Study
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1. How hard or easy was it to use this system to locate these resources?
not at all easy

some~.. hue

In

\'ery e.. here ln

choices

Choosei

5, How satisfied are you with the experience of finding plate tectonics
Interactive resources, and with the search results?
not at all satisfied

somu.,here in

Vtry

satisfied

Choose:

6. If you have additional comments, enter them !Jelow. Also, please wait for
the administrator's announcement !Jefore moving to the next task.

_:J

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Figure F.7 NSDL Usability Study: Questions About Finding Interactive
Resources

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NSDL Usability Study

,--I Taslt 3: Einding E1Jtir~ Less~n elans
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Task: Spend 5 minutes finding a good lesson plan to teach 8th graders about the Ring of Fire.
Remember, please stay on this task until prompted to move on by the administrator.

1. Resource Web Page UR Ls
(write each URL on a new line)

2. Resource Web Page Titles
(write each title on a new line)
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Page 9

NOTE: This wns the tnsk thnt wns subsequently dropped.

Figure F.8 NSDL Usability Study: Dropped Task 3

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NSDL Usability Study
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Questions About Finding An Entire llesson Plan
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1. How hard or easy was it to use this systein to locate these resources?
very easy

not at all eaisy
Chooser

2. How helpful were the search tools for zeroing In on the right resources?
not at all helpful

some11he.re In

between

vuy helpful

Choose1

3, How do you feel about the amount of time it took to find these ·
resources?
not at all qulc:k

somu... he.re In
betl>'tHI

very quick

Choose=

4. Do you think there were enough good resources from which to choose?
not enough good

somewhere in

very many good

choices

between

choices

Choose1

5. How satisfied are you with the experience of finding a ring of fire lesson
plan, and with the search results?
not at all satisfied

Choose1

some11here in
bttwum

'

If you have additional comments, enter them below. Also, please wait for
the administrator's announcement before moving to the next task.
G.

P~::ige

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Figure F.9 NSDL Usability Study: Questions About Finding an Entire Lesson
Plan

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NSDL Usability Study

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Task: Spend $ n1inutes finding mate1ials (text) for students about how the theo1y of plate tectonics was
discovered or a biography of the person who discovered it.
Remember, please stay on tl!is task until pron1pted to move on by the administrator.

1. Resource We!J Page URLs
(write each URL on a new line)

2. Resource We!J Page Titles
(write each title on a new line)

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Figure F.10 NSDL Usability Study: Task 3

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NSDL Usability Study
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1. How hard or easy was It to use this system to locate these resources?
not at all easy

some1.;here in
between

very easy

Choose:

2. How helpful were the search tools for zeroing in on the right resources?
not at ;;ill helpful

some11here in

v1;ry hdpful

betueen

Choose1

3. How do you feel about the amount of time it took to find these
resources?
not at all quick

between

very quick

Choose:

4. Do you think there were enough good resources from which to choose?
not

~nough

good

cho!cuChoose:

some1'1here in
between

c

very many good

choices

,-

5. How satisfied are you with the experience of finding historical content
about plate tectonics, and with the search results?
not at a!J satisfied

some>'lhere In

between

very satisfied

Choose1

6. If you have additional comments, enter them below. Also, please wait for
the administrator's announcement before moving to the next task.

Page 12

Figure F.11 NSDL Usability Study: Questions About Bringing in the History of
Science