{"id":13549,"date":"2026-02-11T11:02:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/?p=13549"},"modified":"2026-02-10T11:11:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T11:11:46","slug":"from-overwhelmed-to-engaged-improving-ux-in-large%e2%80%91scale-online-courses-at-altc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2026\/02\/from-overwhelmed-to-engaged-improving-ux-in-large%e2%80%91scale-online-courses-at-altc\/","title":{"rendered":"From overwhelmed to engaged: Improving UX in large\u2011scale online courses at ALTC"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"info\">By Vicky Devaney, UCL<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you take a complex, content\u2011heavy online course built for thousands of learners and transform it into something intuitive, accessible, and genuinely supportive?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During our ALTC revisited presentation, we\u2019ll be sharing how we redesigned a teacher CPD programme to create a smoother, more engaging learning experience- without major technical overhauls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our programme had been described by users as \u201ceasy to navigate\u2026 once you get used to it\u201d, signalling deeper issues around consistency, structure, and cognitive load. Our session explores what happens when usability, accessibility, and user\u2011centred design become the foundation for course development. Through a combination of UX research, accessibility auditing, and iterative prototyping, we systematically addressed these challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What we did<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Working within institutional Moodle constraints, we developed a simpler, more predictable structure: a streamlined contents page, one\u2011section\u2011per\u2011page layout, clearer sequencing, and consistent visual patterns across all modules. We also introduced a thematic design for the course homepage and minimised unnecessary text to reduce cognitive strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A key part of this process was usability testing built into the design cycle. We ran remote sessions with a diverse panel of participants, guided by a UX researcher using tasks aligned to UK Government Digital Service Standards and Nielsen\u2019s usability heuristics. Observing users navigate the site in real time identified issues that were not immediately visible initially. Some of the issues were dense content, unclear instructions, inconsistent cues, and accessibility problems in the Moodle quiz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What changed<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Using tester feedback, we introduced evidence\u2011based improvements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>clearer navigation pathways<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reduced text load and refined instructions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>improved visual hierarchy and space dividers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>an accessible, redesigned quiz interface<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and a creative personalisation feature that required no custom development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After implementation, users reported a more logical structure, clearer guidance, and a smoother journey through the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why you should join us<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>This session will be valuable for anyone designing online learning at scale, particularly within VLE constraints. We\u2019ll share:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>before\u2011and\u2011after examples from the redesign<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>practical strategies for embedding usability testing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>methods for tackling accessibility issues early<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to improve clarity, reduce learner overwhelm, or strengthen your user\u2011centred design approach, this session will give you the tools to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:31% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"260\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/11\/Newsletter-new-event-icons-16.png?resize=260%2C240&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13433 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/11\/Newsletter-new-event-icons-16.png?w=260&amp;ssl=1 260w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/11\/Newsletter-new-event-icons-16.png?resize=150%2C138&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Discover&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.alt.ac.uk\/civicrm\/event\/info?reset=1&amp;id=1040\">ALTC25 Revisited<\/a>: Reignite your curiosity, catch up on what you missed, and help shape what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join us as we bring back key speakers, thought-provoking sessions, and the big ideas that shaped the overarching theme of \u2018Stronger Foundations, Broader Horizons\u2019. You\u2019ll hear fresh reflections from presenters and participants, explore emerging themes, and take part in new discussions about the future of learning and technology.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How do you take a complex, content\u2011heavy online course built for thousands of learners and transform it into something intuitive, accessible, and genuinely supportive?&nbsp; During our ALTC revisited presentation, we\u2019ll be sharing how we redesigned a teacher CPD programme to create a smoother, more engaging learning experience- without major technical overhauls. Our programme had been [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1443],"tags":[1258,2217,2265,2334,2332,2331,2335],"class_list":["post-13549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-course-design","tag-altc-2","tag-altc25","tag-altc25-revisited","tag-online-course-design","tag-ui","tag-ux","tag-vicky-davaney"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/02\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-30.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13397,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2025\/10\/explore-the-voices-and-resources-of-altc25\/","url_meta":{"origin":13549,"position":0},"title":"Explore the voices and resources of ALTC25\u00a0","author":"ALT","date":"24 October 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"We would like to thank everyone for contributing to and taking part in ALT\u2019s Annual Conference 2025. It was a delight to have so many of you joining us in Glasgow. As we do every year, we are collecting links to blog posts and resources for and about the conference.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ALTC25&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ALTC25","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/events\/annual-conference\/altc25-annual-conference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/10\/Blog-cover-image-template-8.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/10\/Blog-cover-image-template-8.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/10\/Blog-cover-image-template-8.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/10\/Blog-cover-image-template-8.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13531,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2026\/02\/reflections-of-alt-conference-2025-from-a-digital-assessment-perspective\/","url_meta":{"origin":13549,"position":1},"title":"Reflections of the ALT Annual Conference 2025, from a Digital Assessment Perspective","author":"ALT","date":"4 February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In the run up to ALTC25 Revisited, we wanted to share some of our reflections on The ALT Annual Conference 2025. The conference marked significant strides on enhancing student and staff experiences through innovative platforms and practices. The series of presentations at the conference offered insights into current trends and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ALTC25&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ALTC25","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/altc25\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/01\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-23.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/01\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-23.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/01\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-23.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/01\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-23.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13246,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2025\/08\/altc25-guest-post-altc-comes-to-glasgow-finally\/","url_meta":{"origin":13549,"position":2},"title":"ALTC25 Guest Post: ALTC Comes to Glasgow \u2014 Finally!\u00a0","author":"ALT","date":"12 August 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"After years of campaigning to bring ALTC, or a related ALT event, to Glasgow, it\u2019s finally happening in 2025. I nearly managed to host #OER21 at City of Glasgow College, but COVID had other plans. I\u2019ve also long advocated for a more college-friendly time of year for the conference. This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ALTC25&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ALTC25","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/events\/annual-conference\/altc25-annual-conference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13550,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2026\/02\/why-accessibility-belongs-at-the-heart-of-learning-design\/","url_meta":{"origin":13549,"position":3},"title":"Why Accessibility Belongs at the Heart of Learning Design","author":"ALT","date":"17 February 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Accessibility is a foundational part of learning design, yet we routinely treat it as optional. Instead of embedding it from the start, it is often reduced to a last-minute checkbox or a quick pass with an accessibility checker. This approach undermines both learners and the integrity of the design process.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Accessibility&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Accessibility","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/accessibility\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/02\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-31.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/02\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-31.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/02\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-31.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2026\/02\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-31.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13339,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2025\/10\/looking-ahead-to-altc25-vital-dialogue-for-changed-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":13549,"position":4},"title":"Looking ahead to #ALTC25. Vital dialogue for changed times\u2026","author":"ALT","date":"7 October 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When the ALT Annual Conference was last held in Scotland, at the University of Edinburgh in September 2019, we were unknowingly a few short months away from the world suddenly becoming a more precarious place. For education, the challenges brought forth by the global pandemic included the emergency move to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ALTC25&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ALTC25","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/events\/annual-conference\/altc25-annual-conference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13422,"url":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/2025\/11\/the-power-of-stories-in-learning-design\/","url_meta":{"origin":13549,"position":5},"title":"The Power of Stories in Learning Design","author":"ALT","date":"10 November 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When most people think about stories, they often see them as tools to exemplify, contextualise, or embellish. While that is certainly true, I have come to view stories differently. For me, they are anchors that help ground abstract thoughts, concepts, and feelings into structures that make sense to us. Through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ALTC25&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ALTC25","link":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/category\/events\/annual-conference\/altc25-annual-conference\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1112\/2025\/08\/TEMPLATE-DO-NOT-EDIT-THIS-PAGE-14.png?fit=734%2C550&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6CxU9-3wx","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13549"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13553,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13549\/revisions\/13553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/altc.alt.ac.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}