Navigation in hypermedia learning systems: experts vs. novices

With the advancement of Web technology, hypermedia learning systems are becoming more widespread in educational settings. Hypermedia learning systems present course content with non-sequential formats, so students are required to develop learning paths by themselves. Yet, empirical evidence indicates that not all students can benefit from hypermedia learning. Research into individual differences suggests that prior knowledge has significant effects on student learning in hypermedia systems, with experts and novices showing different preferences to the use of hypermedia learning systems and requiring different levels of navigation support. It is therefore essential to develop a mechanism to help designers understand the needs of experts and novices. To address this issue, this paper presents a framework to illustrate the needs of students with different levels of prior knowledge by analyzing the findings of previous research. The overall aim of this framework is to integrate students’ prior knowledge into the design of hypermedia learning systems. Finally, implications for the design of hypermedia learning systems are discussed.     

Design of adaptive hypermedia learning systems: A cognitive style approach

In the past decade, a number of adaptive hypermedia learning systems have been developed. However, most of these systems tailor presentation content and navigational support solely according to students’ prior knowledge. On the other hand, previous research suggested that cognitive styles significantly affect student learning because they refer to how learners process and organize information. To this end, the study presented in this paper developed an adaptive hypermedia learning system tailored to students’ cognitive styles, with an emphasis on Pask’s Holist–Serialist dimension. How students react to this adaptive hypermedia learning system, including both learning performance and perceptions, was examined in this study. Forty-four undergraduate and postgraduate students participated in the study. The findings indicated that, in general, adapting to cognitive styles improves student learning. The results also showed that the adaptive hypermedia learning system have more effects on students’ perceptions than performance. The implications of these results for the design of adaptive hypermedia learning systems are discussed.     

Students’ navigation patterns in the interaction with a mechanics hypermedia program

This study investigates the interaction of a group of freshmen enrolled in a Pre Service Physics Teacher Training Course with a mechanics hypermedia program. Data were obtained to discuss hypertextual navigation guided by the following questions: (i) How can the students’ navigation in this hypermedia program be characterized? (ii) How does this relate to their prior knowledge in mechanics? The sequence analysis of the events collected from the log files was used to characterize students’ navigation and a mechanics test assessed students’ prior knowledge. The inspection of students’ navigation graphs made it possible to associate the structure of navigation to prior knowledge in mechanics. Three patterns of navigation are proposed associated to different levels of students’ prior knowledge and to different roles performed by the program. In the organized navigation, the student who best performed in the pre test seemed to be reviewing content he already knew, using the system as a database. In the conceptual navigation the students who presented difficulties in the pre test spent different times in the pages as they were addressing conceptual difficulties, using the system as a support for learning. The students who scored the lowest in the test performed a disoriented navigation, spending much less than the adequate time to interact meaningfully with the content. The role that previous knowledge in mechanics plays in these patterns of navigation was related to the function that Ausubel’s subsumers perform in learning. The results indicate that hypertextual navigation can provide information about students’ conditions to engage in meaningful learning, which could be used to help the teacher personalize instruction.     

Cognitive style, hypermedia navigation and learning

This study examined the influence of cognitive style, spatial orientation and computer expertise on hypertext navigation patterns and learning outcomes when participants interacted with a hypermedia presentation. A sample of 306 undergraduates was pre-tested both on their cognitive style and on their self-reported frequency and ability in using computers. From the initial sample, 40 students were selected to form four groups with the following characteristics: (a) 10 high computer users – sequential thinkers, (b) 10 high computer users – holistic thinkers, (c) 10 low computer users – sequential thinkers and (d) 10 low computer users – holistic thinkers. All participants completed a self-report questionnaire measuring spatial orientation and were then requested to browse freely a hypermedia presentation on the ancient Mayan civilisation. Finally, the students completed a post-test to assess the recall of the hypermedia presentation and the cognitive organisation of the acquired knowledge. The results indicated that hypermedia navigation behaviour was linked to computer skills rather than to cognitive style and that learning outcomes were unaffected by cognitive style or by computer skills. However, learning outcomes were positively affected by specific search patterns, that is by re-visiting hypermedia sections and visiting overview sections in the early stages of hypermedia browsing. Further, navigating overview sections and holistic processing fostered knowledge representation in the form of maps. These findings suggest that individual differences can affect hypermedia navigation even though their role in learning is complex and the impact of cognitive style on learning outcomes was proved to be less important than initially predicted.     

Effects of confidence scores and remedial instruction on prepositions learning in adaptive hypermedia

Although Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) provides EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students a dynamic environment for English learning, many courses in current markets still emphasize the presentation of domain knowledge but neglect how the students truly interact with the lessons. This article describes the development of Hypermedia-based English Learning system for Prepositions (HELP), which provides EFL students learning diagnosis and remedial instruction according to student confidence scores (CR). Details include how the system diagnoses students' error types in English prepositions and provides adaptive remedial instructions. This study also investigated the effects of two design factors: (1) student confidence ratings (CR) for answers, and (2) the provision of adaptive remedial instruction on EFL students' English prepositions learning in adaptive hypermedia. A pretest–posttest control-group experiment involving 88 EFL students was employed. Results of this study revealed significant effects of student confidence ratings (CR) and the provision of adaptive remedial instruction for English prepositions learning in hypermedia-based lessons.     

Using a phenomenographic approach in evaluating hypermedia stories

This paper builds on research into using multimedia and hypermedia as creative writing tools and reports on a study in using a hypermedia authoring program with middle-years students at an Australian secondary school. The study explored a classroom where collaborative work built on the technical facilities and expertise of young people.     

Computer experience, learning style, and hypermedia navigation

This study focused on the extent to which prior computer-related experiences predicted linear and nonlinear navigation when using a hypermedia learning environment. Those with more years’ experience at working with computers and those with more authoring experience took more linear steps, whereas those with more data base experience and those with more hypermedia experience took fewer linear steps. Those with more years experience at working with computers, those with more programming experience, and those with more authoring experience had a lower percentage of nonlinear steps than those with more experience in those three areas. Those with more word-processing experience, more spreadsheet experience, and more hypermedia experience had a higher percentage of nonlinear steps than those with less experience in those three areas. Also, those with more hypermedia experience took less time than those with less hypermedia experience. A major implication of the study is that we can predict the extent to which a hypermedia user may engage in a hypermedia environment in a nonlinear way by knowing his or her experience in a variety of computer-related uses.     

Exploring differences between gifted and grade-level students’ use of self-regulatory learning processes with hypermedia

Research involving gifted and grade-level students has shown that they display differences in their knowledge of self-regulatory strategies. However, little research exists regarding whether these students differ in their actual use of these strategies. This study aimed to address this question by examining think-aloud data collected from 98 gifted and grade-level students engaging in a complex learning task: utilizing a hypermedia environment to learn about the circulatory system. We also examined both declarative knowledge and mental model measures of learning to determine whether these groups differed in their actual performance. Our results show that gifted students did outperform grade-level students in all outcome measures. In addition, gifted students more often utilized more sophisticated self-regulatory strategies (e.g. coordinating informational sources) than grade-level students. Grade-level students were more likely to use less effective strategies that are less likely to promote the acquisition of knowledge (e.g. mnemonics). Recommendations for future intervention studies are based upon these findings.     

Semantic scaffolds in hypermedia learning environments

In knowledge acquisition from hypermedia, learners have to orient themselves in a non-linear information space, navigate in this space and build a knowledge structure from the information there. Research on learning from hypermedia has focused primarily on enhancing orientation and navigation, with only minor attention on possibilities for supporting semantic processing. In a first experiment, 98 students from senior high school and university undergraduates learned about a complex subject matter either without or with semantic scaffolds, which were presented either in an obligatory (non-removable) or in an optional mode. High prior knowledge learners profited from adequately used semantic scaffolds, whereas low prior knowledge learners did not. In a second experiment, 53 senior high school students and university undergraduates received the learning material with semantic scaffolds presented either in an obligatory mode (but removable on demand) or in an optional mode. Learners with low prior knowledge performed better with optional presentation. Learners with high prior knowledge performed better with obligatory presentation, which allowed removing scaffolds on demand. Learners generally preferred the optional presentation of learning scaffolds.     

Exploring relations among college students’ prior knowledge,implicit theories of intelligence,and self-regulated learning in a hypermedia environment

Researchers and educators continue to explore how to assist students in the acquisition of conceptual understanding of complex science topics. While hypermedia learning environments (HLEs) afford unique opportunities to display multiple representations of these often abstract topics, students who do not engage in self-regulated learning (SRL) with HLEs often fail to achieve conceptual understanding. There is a lack of research regarding how student characteristics, such as prior knowledge and students’ implicit theory of intelligence (ITI), interact with SRL to influence academic performance. In this study, structural equation modeling was used to investigate these issues. It was found that prior knowledge and ITI were related to SRL and performance, and that SRL acted as a benevolent moderator, enhancing the positive effects of prior knowledge upon learning, and diminishing the negative effects of having a maladaptive ITI.     

The effects of hypermedia knowledge and learning style on the construction of group concept maps

This study involved 20 research participants who created group concept maps on the term “hypermedia.” The purpose of the study was to determine whether groups, membership of which was based on a mixture of learning styles or a mixture of hypermedia knowledge, constructed concept maps that differed in terms of number of concepts, number of nodes, number of links, number of bidirectional links, number of multiple concept nodes, number of nodes with multiple links, and varying levels of hierarchical relationships. It was found that the group comprised of two convergers, one assimilator, and one diverger, all of whom had a high level of hypermedia knowledge, was the most productive. Of the 11 measures, they produced the most for 7 of them. We were also interested in determining the interactive dynamics that either learning style or hypermedia knowledge played as the participants constructed their group concept maps. We audiotaped their interactions and categorized their comments and actions within the learning style traits associated with being either a converger, a diverger, an assimilator, or an accommodator. Learning style seemed to explain the types of interactions more than hypermedia knowledge did.     

Hypermedia and learning: Contrasting interfaces to hypermedia systems

This study explores selected theoretical and design issues associated with the use of hypermedia learning environments to promote the recall, synthesis, integration and retention of information. The study contrasts two different hypermedia systems that contain resources on a complex historical domain. The experimental condition incorporates design features related to complexity, context-dependency and interconnectedness in order to highlight different aspects of its instructional content. The experimental condition was hypothesized to foster greater achievement on tests for synthesis, integration and retention of knowledge and to be more favorably rated by users. The control condition incorporates simple linear design features including several features that are antithetical to those of the experimental condition. The control condition presents the same instructional content in a more rigid and decontextualized manner and was hypothesized to foster greater mastery of factual recall but less synthesis, integration and retention of knowledge. Results however demonstrated that participants in the control condition were able to recall more facts, make more connections between themes in the test for synthesis and retain more facts than participants in the experimental condition. However, differences in overall performance for both hypermedia systems were not statistically significant: neither system had a different effect on learning.     

The hype and the media: Issues concerned with designing hypermedia

Many claims and much 'hype' surround the term 'hypermedia'. Foremost amongst these claims are that hypermedia will revolutionize learning and users' abilities to interact with, search for, and tailor information to suit their own needs. These claims are similar to those made about 'hypertext' in the past. Our point of view is that hypermedia is 'more than just the sum (i.e. the overall effect) of the parts' (e.g. sound, video, graphics, text etc.). In this paper we offer definitions for the terms 'multimedia' and 'hypermedia' and examine some of the above claims using examples from a collaborative research and development project at the Open University and Rank Xerox EuroPARC. We consider what basic psychological principles can tell us about designing hypermedia from a usability perspective, apply these ideas to specific design issues, and raise some development issues which have also influenced our design of hypermedia. We conclude that further research and creative exploration are needed to understand how best to harness the potential of combining multiple media into well designed hypermedia systems.     

Note-taking while learning hypermedia: Cognitive and motivational considerations

The non-linear format of hypermedia requires the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) processes, including making decisions about which representation to access. The design of hypermedia environments can make these decisions difficult, and may result in extraneous cognitive load. Note-taking, a SRL strategy may offload extraneous cognitive load while learning with hypermedia. This study examined factors related to undergraduate students’ note-taking while learning with hypermedia. Think-aloud, self-report, pretest, and posttest data were collected from 53 undergraduates while they learned about a challenging science topic for 30 min with hypermedia. Results indicated that participants’ prior domain knowledge, as measured by the pretest, did not significantly predict the content of their notes. However, motivation, as measured by a self-report questionnaire, had a significant relationship with the content of the participants’ notes. Specifically, intrinsic motivation had a significant negative relationship while extrinsic motivation had a significant positive relationship with the content of notes. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between the content of the participants’ notes and their use of self-regulatory processes while learning with hypermedia.     

Educational hypermedia resources facilitator

Within the university the introduction of computers is creating a new criterion of differentiation between those who as a matter of course become integrated in the technocratic trend deriving from the daily use of these machines and those who become isolated by not using them. This difference increases when computer science and communications merge to introduce virtual educational areas, where the conjunction of teacher and pupil in the space–time dimension is no longer an essential requirement, and where the written text is replaced (or rather complemented) by the digital text.In this article, a historical defence is made of the presence of this new standard in the creation of digital educational resources such as the hyperdocument, as well as the barriers and technological problems deriving from its use. Furthermore, HyCo, an authoring tool, is introduced which facilitates the composition of hypertexts, which are stored as semantic learning objects, looking for that through of a simple and extremely intuitive interface and interaction model, any teacher with a minimum knowledge of computer science has the possibility of transforming his or her experience and knowledge into useful and quality hypermedia educational resources.     

Methods and techniques of adaptive hypermedia

Adaptive hypermedia is a new direction of research within the area of adaptive and user model-based interfaces. Adaptive hypermedia (AH) systems build a model of the individual user and apply it for adaptation to that user, for example, to adapt the content of a hypermedia page to the user's knowledge and goals, or to suggest the most relevant links to follow. AH systems are used now in several application areas where the hyperspace is reasonably large and where a hypermedia application is expected to be used by individuals with different goals, knowledge and backgrounds. This paper is a review of existing work on adaptive hypermedia. The paper is centered around a set of identified methods and techniques of AH. It introduces several dimensions of classification of AH systems, methods and techniques and describes the most important of them.     

Virtual reality and hypermedia in learning to use a turning lathe

Abstract A Virtual reality environment with hypermedia was designed to help undergraduates understand the structure and functioning of a turning lathe. Study 1 was carried out with 30 novice students and Study 2 involved 24 students attending a machining course. These studies demonstrated that the virtual lathe can foster the comprehension of some core machining concepts. Further, the studies suggest that novice students benefit most from earlier free navigation of the virtual environment whereas expert students benefit from an analysis of the hypermedia.     

Tools and strategies for searching in hypermedia environments

Abstract This paper presents the results of several investigations into the use made by students of a prototype system of help for the exploitation of hypermedia documents. This prototype was derived from a common type of educational CD-ROM in which the presentation of the contents was improved and certain research and note-taking tools added. The evolving, personalised note-taking system interacts constantly with the environment being explored. Beyond the storage of personal notes (clues, personal knowledge of the area), it allows the student to keep the explored sections in mind and ultimately to plan further explorations. It also enables the extraction and structuring of the data retrieved from the body of the database. The role of this system is to facilitate more thorough searches for information which might sometimes require several sessions stretched out over a long period. It could be profitably used in the context of independent student activities.     

Thinking style,browsing primes and hypermedia navigation

There is a common assumption that hypermedia navigation is influenced by a learner’s style of thinking, so people who are inclined to apply sequential and analytical strategies (left-thinkers) are thought to browse hypermedia in a linear way, whereas those who prefer holistic and intuitive strategies (right-thinkers) tend towards non-linear paths. An experiment was conducted to study both the effects of students’ style of thinking on hypermedia navigation and the effects of primes aimed at inducing them to browse the hypermedia according to a given strategy. Two hundred undergraduates in different faculties were asked to visit a website. Navigation was preceded by some initial tasks (primes) that activated either the left- or the right-thinking style; 50 men and 50 women were randomly assigned to each of the two kinds of primes. Then participants were free to browse the hypermedia and navigational paths were tracked down. When navigation had been completed, a questionnaire measuring a preference for either the left- or the right-thinking style was filled out by participants. Analyses showed that primes influenced hypermedia navigation, leading participants to apply strategies consistent with the initial tasks. The participants’ age and faculty did not influence their behaviour in navigation. Gender and frequency of computer use determined some minor differences in hypermedia browsing, whereas there was no evidence of any relationship between thinking style and behaviour in navigation.