Subject: Hypermedia
From: Crispin Weston (crispinw@dircon.co.uk)
Date: Tue 30 Nov 1999 - 11:11:26 MET
From: "Crispin Weston" <crispinw@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Hypermedia Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 10:11:26 -0000
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Dr Goswamy raises several points about my Hyperstudio project.
<<the teacher ends up paying much more personal attention to details (which
otherwise the students would have done by themselves) and thereby
contributing directly to the quality of the end-result during the use of the
medium>>
I agree that this is a dilemma, particularly as my project constituted
courseware for a public exam, but I think it is a problem largely within the
teacher's control as to how much direct assistance you give to the student.
I would tend to advise by asking questions ('Why are you linking these two
pages together in this
way?', 'Where is your evidence to support this statement?' etc.) Though if
the student was stuck on a technical problem ('How do you put a picture in
the background?') I would show them by doing it. Although I was rushed off
my feet, I found the personal tuition that the use of the computers demanded
often very stimulating, especially as it was often prompted by student
questions, e.g. 'My argument (a) is supported by evidence (b), but it is
also undermined by evidence (c). Should I include evidence (c) in the
presentation?'.
<<In my experience this results in less motivated (or students less equipped
with the disciplined attitude, which is a pre-requisite for the use of this
medium) students (particularly at O level) tend to "run-off" the theme of
the work and more often than not digress into related but irrelevant
sub-topics >>
I agree with this as far as it applies to students as *users* of hypermedia
(the last para of my original posting concerns this). I do not think the
danger applies so much when students are put into the role of *designers* of
hypermedia.
<<However, I tend to disagree with the suggestion that it 'offers quick
reference to students who are too lazy to use a dictionary'. >>
I agree that the use of hypermedia to replace dictionaries or encyclopaedia
is a limited use, which some might object is not true hypermedia. When using
a dictionary, one
expects to look something up and then return immediately to the original
text. Pop-up references, rather than full-blown navigational links, may be
the best way of handling this kind of hyperlink. Could we describe this as
'shallow' hypertext, which does not lead to the full-blown experience of
errantry which is both the charm and curse of hypertext proper?
I nevertheless still believe that this 'shallow' hypertext is potentially
very useful in education, even if this potential is often unrealised. I get
frustrated how many educational resources appear to be published with
substantial textual elements where the text is *not* extensively
cross-referenced. If students are to extend their vocabulary and develop
their style, they need to be faced with text which they may find
challenging. If they are to cope with this, they need to be prepared to look
things up. In my experience (both as student and teacher) the oft repeated
injunction to 'use a dictionary' is observed by a minority of students for a
minority of their time. If look-ups can be embedded in text on computer
screen, I suggest that the computer can make an important contribution to
squaring this circle.
<<Of course, the dictionary has its own attraction and sometimes even the
best hypermedia software is unable to meet the needs and replace the
dictionary (e.g. to understand the use of a specific word in different
contexts with stress on subtle difference in the sense in which the word
can be used).>>
I do not agree that the dictionary will be better if the shallow hyperlink
is written specifically for that context. You will object that this is
labour intensive. Its merit is that it hides text from students who do not
need it but is ready to hand for those who do. Neither dictionary nor
encyclopaedia but footnote, perhaps. This is not excessively labour
intensive
if it is limited to use with shorter, intensive pieces of text. Longer books
are still best on paper, for reasons of readability and portability.
<<The varying (and limited) attention span further aggravates the problem
and creates confusion due to exponentially increasing links and choices>>
I agree entirely when applied to 'deep' hypertext, where you end up
forgetting where you started. I think our positions can be reconciled
through the 'deep' / 'shallow' distinction.
Crispin Weston
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