Evaluating Google Classroom Usability Dimensions and Faculty Experience at the University of Fallujah: An Empirical Studybased on Nielsen's Usability Framework

Abstract

This study assesses the ease of use of Google Classroom from the perspective of faculty members at the University of Fallujah in the Republic of Iraq and identifies the most prominent technical and contextual problems that may affect faculty members' e-learning. The study used a quantitative approach. The study evaluated user experience dimensions using a structured questionnaire completed by 85 faculty members with master's and doctoral degrees. The evaluation used Nielsen's Usability Framework to assess ease of learning, efficiency, recall, security, and overall satisfaction in a learning environment with limited technological resources. The findings revealed that the Google Classroom platform is highly usable and that the interface is well understood (average usability score: 4.16; interface clarity: 4.21), which minimises the learning curve and helps manage the tasks necessary for learning. The study showed that there were, however, major contextual challenges, particularly about internet quality and speed (average score 4.12), but also regarding interface and performance features of the platform, which needed to be more flexible to overcome errors and to satisfy the needs of more advanced teaching, like detailed assessment tools. Academic qualifications also did not significantly affect usability ratings, as shown by the independent samples t-test (p = 0.945). This study provides empirical evidence of how structural challenges affect real world usability evaluations and the need to develop local interactive platform tools and support offline use to optimise platform effectiveness in higher education.