Usability Evaluation of an LMS-Notion Integrated Badge-Based Learning System

This study evaluates the perceived usability of an integrated badge-based learning system that combines Blackboard LMS with an embedded Notion catalog and leaderboard, deployed in an undergraduate microprocessors course. Using a post-use survey of 47 screened students drawn from a 52-student cohort, the authors measured usability with the System Usability Scale. The system achieved a mean score of 60.11 (SD 18.44), which falls significantly below the 68 benchmark and places it in the marginal "OK" acceptability range.

The findings reveal a mixed usability profile. Learnability was a clear strength, and respondents reported a low need for technical support. Ratings for ease of use, confidence in using the system, and perceived integration between the two platforms were considerably more ambivalent, suggesting that the multi-platform arrangement may introduce interaction friction for learners. Exploratory analyses found no significant differences in SUS scores by gender, prior familiarity with badge systems, or academic performance (GPA).

The study's scope is limited to a single institution, one course, and one cohort, with data collected at a single post-use point and no comparative baseline. The authors acknowledge that the SUS provides only a global usability measure without task-level granularity, and that small, uneven subgroups constrain statistical power. Their central conclusion is that the Blackboard-Notion badge dashboard achieves moderate perceived usability, with strong learnability and low support demands, while interaction and integration remain points of concern. They argue that usability should be assessed alongside pedagogical outcomes and recommend future task-based, observational, and log-based evaluations, as well as direct comparisons with LMS-native badge implementations.