System Usability Scale for Gamified E-learning Courses: Cross-cultural Adaptation and Measurement Properties of the Spanish Version

Abstract

Objective: This work aimed to translate and culturally adapt the system usability scale for gamified e-learning courses (SUS-G scale) for Spanish population and evaluate its factor structure. Methods: A single-measure, cross-sectional study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the SUS-G scale was translated and culturally adapted. In the second phase, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with a development sample of 103 participants, followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with a training sample of 201 participants to evaluate the scale's structure. Several goodness-of-fit indices were used to assess model fit. Results: A total of 304 students from the University of Navarra School of Medicine (189 females and 115 males) participated. The EFA was performed because of the good results offered by the sampling adequacy indices (Bartlett’s test = 1846.22; df = 406.0; p < 0.001; and KMO test = 0.857). The factor solution comprised three correlated factors: User Experience (16 items), Educational Usability (9 items) and Usability (4 items). The 29-item factor structure demonstrated adequate-to-excellent goodness-of-fit indices and good internal consistency in the CFA. Conclusion: The SUS-G scale-Sp version for adults, obtained through back-translation, was validated and found to be reliable through EFA and CFA analyses. The final instrument consists of the same 29 items, reorganized into three dimensions. This instrument can be used to assess the perception of usability for gamified e-learning courses among Spanish-speaking university adults.