Designing and Testing Navigational Strategies and Guidance Tools for a Hypermedia Program (original) (raw)
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Navigation in hypermedia learning systems: experts vs. novices
Computers in Human Behavior, 2006
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.
Computer experience, learning style, and hypermedia navigation
Computers in Human …, 2000
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. #
Hypermedia applications for content-area study guides
Reading & Writing Quarterly, 1992
This paper reviews the literature and reports on three studies evaluating the use of hypermedia computer study guides or supplementary reading materials with regular students, remedial students, students having learning disabilities, and poor readers.
Understanding navigation and disorientation in hypermedia learning environment
Difficulties with orientation are common in hyperdocuments. This paper describes an exploratory study into the role of a navigation map, as a helping tool, during browsing processes. We tried to establish the influence of this navigational tool, provided by a hypermedia prototype, in retrieval tasks. Twenty-two students tested this prototype and some data were collected: scores obtained in a task-test and a record of the path followed by the subjects. With these data we defined a set of ratios as an attempt to understand the subjects' browsing processes. Findings suggest that the map was not effective in the ameliorative role. Perhaps it is not wise to assume that a map that helps performance in a spatial context also forms an aid in a hypermedia environment under a nonhierarchical model. Hypermedia environments are complex systems based in a nonlinear organization of the information (under multiple formats: text, image, sound). This conceptual assumption introduces new problems such as the hypertext design and the navigation performance in the system. Our present concern is the navigation process that results from the explosive ability of the system to develop complex networks of information. This situation has some direct implications in the user interaction with the systems, such as cognitive overhead and disorientation .
NAVIGATION AND LEARNING IN EDUCATIONAL HYPERMEDIA: ARE POOR READERS AT A DISADVANTAGE?
2006
In the educational hypermedia literature, most studies involving reading focus on the outcomes on reading ability of providing hypermedia instruction (e.g., . Few studies have pretested on literacy abilities and used these scores as predictors of navigation and learning in hypermedia. We examined the impact of vocabulary, comprehension and reading rate abilities on navigation and learning outcomes in the context of a hypermedia information search task. The results show that all three reading skills were predictive of different aspects of navigation and learning.
The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 2000
This study aimed to identify undergraduates' learning style, their attitudes towards hypermedia-based learning (HBL), their navigational pattern and the navigational tools used during HBL sessions, and the differences in the above processes based on their learning styles. A questionnaire was used to collect data on their attitudes towards HBL. Kolb learning style inventory was used to determine the learning styles of the undergraduates. Observations and self-reports were used to determine navigational pattern and navigational tools utilized in HBL. Subjects consisted of 15 undergraduates taking a social psychology course in the Cognitive Science Program at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Subjects were required to navigate HBL social psychology web site http://www.trinity.edu/\~mkearl/socpsy.html. Findings indicated that all the subjects have positive attitudes towards HBL regardless of their learning styles. Diverger and assimilator learning styles subjects was "prudent" navigator, while converger and accommodator learning style subjects were "daring" navigator. Two main navigational tools used were the hyperlinks and back buttons and this pattern were the same regardless of the subjects learning style.
Hypermedia Navigation: Where Do We Go from Here?
1998
This paper examines the main issues in hypermedia navigation, proposes research questions, and suggests a methodology for resolving those questions. The paper begins with an overview of navigation and a discussion of design issues in hypermedia databases, including being lost in hyperspace, the use of hypermaps, proper balance between links and nodes, level of learner control, and learning theories implemented in hypermedia applications research questions addressing the following design considerations for hypermedia databases are outlined: (1) screen layout; (2) use of color; (3) use of hypermaps or other locational devices; (4) degree of consistency to use in the design of navigation; (5) types of pathways for transit; (6) level of user control; (7) use of a help function; and (8) relationship between the learning styles of users and the navigational controls. A methodology for proposed research on hypermedia navigation is then presented; the proposed research will utilize the Perseus Project, a 10-year-old Harvard University interactive database on Greek Civilization, to examine whether hypermedia databases created in the past can be significantly improved by introducing navigational features that currently are advocated by hypermedia designers. Three figures depicting the Perseus system are included. (Contains 37 references.) (DLS)
Understanding Navigation and Disorientation in Hypermedia Learning Environments
1997
Difficulties with orientation are common in hyperdocuments. This paper describes an exploratory study into the role of a navigation map, as a helping tool, during browsing processes. We tried to establish the influence of this navigational tool, provided by a hypermedia prototype, in retrieval tasks. Twenty-two students tested this prototype and some data were collected: scores obtained in a task-test and a record of the path followed by the subjects. With these data we defined a set of ratios as an attempt to understand the subjects' browsing processes. Findings suggest that the map was not effective in the ameliorative role. Perhaps it is not wise to assume that a map that helps performance in a spatial context also forms an aid in a hypermedia environment under a nonhierarchical model. Hypermedia environments are complex systems based in a nonlinear organization of the information (under multiple formats: text, image, sound). This conceptual assumption introduces new problems such as the hypertext design and the navigation performance in the system. Our present concern is the navigation process that results from the explosive ability of the system to develop complex networks of information. This situation has some direct implications in the user interaction with the systems, such as cognitive overhead and disorientation .
A guidance metric for developing hypermedia educational designs
Proceedings Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Multimedia Applications. ICCIMA'99 (Cat. No.PR00300)
This paper reports our work in developing the guidance metric to evaluate a hypermedia design for computerassisted l e arning CAL. The metric is based on an integration of two di erent aspects of an educational hypermedia system. The rst aspect is on the structural part which is related to the links between di erent hypermedia documents in a CAL package. The second aspect is how the organization of di erent types of educational hypermedia documents a ects the performance of a CAL package. An Internet courseware Interactive Physics Laboratory" IPL has been developed to verify the e ectiveness of the metric. The results of our preliminary experiments have shown that the metric is suitable and can be useful in developing educational hypermedia systems.