User’s Behavior in Selected Online Learning Environments

The purpose of this study was to understand online users’ behavior, preferences and perceptions in a museum’s online environment in order to design systems that support users' needs. The setting of my study was the New York Museum of Modern Art's online learning program. The study participants were undergraduate and graduate art education students enrolled in a large university in the Southeast. Several issues concerning web design emerged from the study, including the following categories: the navigational structure, content design, search engines, and the museum’s educational mission. This study used a case study methodology, which allowed me to gain direct access to participants’ behavior, preferences, and perceptions as they navigated through the museum online website.