Web/Mobile App Review

The mobile application I chose is the Ashford Canvas mobile application. The reason I decided to review this application is due to how frequently I have used it throughout my experience at Ashford. I find this application to be very user friendly, especially for someone who is just getting started at Ashford. The application includes most functions that one would find accessing classes on a computer. When the application is opened, the first screen you see is the current class you are in. You can set the application to show all past courses as well. Once you click on the course you want to enter, users will see the same home page seen on the website. Announcements, syllabus, modules, and grade are all options that can be selected. The modules are broken down by weeks one through five, and within each week, users will find all necessary work, discussions, resources, and lectures.

Figure 1. Ashford dashboard

Most classes allow users to access the resources required for the course directly from the application. Clicking on the resource link within a specific week will open a window showing a link to the classes’ E-book. Clicking this link will open the textbook externally. The application also gives users the option to post discussions and replies directly in the app as well as launching external tools such as Waypoint to turn in writing assignments. I find the design of the application to be pleasing. The application also has the option for a different color overlay, which I have found makes it easier to identify individual classes. There is also an option to show the overall grade for each course. These options are available in the menu list easily accessible from the dashboard page. Users can also access profile, change settings, get help, and view files through the menu. These options are easy to locate due to a very user-friendly design.

Figure 2. Course window

Another few essential features found on the dashboard page are the calendar, to-do list., notifications, and inbox. These are also very straightforward to access. The calendar is great as users can use this along with the to-do list and notifications to see what assignments are due on specific days. The inbox is also helpful if users need to send messages to individuals in the class or faculty. Once again, the design of these features makes things very easy to understand and navigate. 

Figure 3. Modules window

          Although I am very pleased with the functionality and design of this application, there are a few changes that can be made to improve usability. One recommendation is regarding the notifications that can be set up on a user’s device. Although there are numerous options for notifications, the options are not very clear. There are two notification options for discussions which include discussion post and discussion. The next option is conversations which include added to conversation, conversation message, and conversation created by me. A user might only want notifications when someone replies to their post. If this an option, a user might need a clearer explanation of how these notifications work as I have not been able to figure this out. Another recommendation would be to add the collapse replies button to the application within discussions. If a user posts later in the week, they are required to scroll through every previous post and reply to find theirs, which can be time-consuming. The last recommendation I would suggest is adding more word processing options within discussion reply boxes. The are some discussions I have seen that require formatting like APA. The application doesn’t have the option for different fonts or line spacing options.

Figure 4. Notification preferences

References

Zovio Inc. (2018). Ashford University Mobile (3.2.4) [Mobile application software] Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com