Home PublicationsJRTEPast IssuesVolume 32 Number 3

Edited by Dr. David J. Ayersman, Mary Washington College, and Dr. W. Michael Reed, New York University

formerly Journal of Research on Computing in Education

John M. Oughton
West Virginia University

W. Michael Reed
New York University

Abstract

This study focuses on 21 graduate students enrolled in a graduate hypermedia in education class who constructed concept maps on the term hypermedia. The purpose of the study was to determine whether students created concept maps differently based on their Kolb learning styles and levels of hypermedia knowledge. The dependent measures included the number of concepts, number of nodes, number of links, number of bidirectional links, number of multiple concept nodes, number of nodes with multiple links, levels of depth, preserved concepts, omitted concepts, and added concepts on each student’s map. Findings indicated that Assimilators and Divergers were the most productive on their concept maps. In addition, students with higher levels of hypermedia knowledge had deeper levels of processing on their concept maps. Overall, the students focused on the applied aspects of hypermedia. This was attributed to the fact that, for many of the students, this class was their first exposure to hypermedia.

Online Supplements

Instrument for Assessing Hypermedia Knowledge and Key

Drs. Oughton and Reed used this instrument to measure students’ hypermedia knowledge.

Contributors

John M. Oughton received his doctorate in instructional technology from West Virginia University and is currently a member of the HSTA Project at West Virginia University. His research interests center on hypermedia authoring and problem solving, and knowledge acquisition through computer-based tools, the integration of technology into teacher education.

W. Michael Reed is a professor of Educational Communication and Technology (ECT) at New York University; he is also the ECT program chair. His research interests center on theoretical frameworks for hypermedia environments, hypermedia navigation and mental models, and merging the Internet and hypermedia.

Address: W. Michael Reed, New York University, 305 East Building, 239 Greene Street, New York, NY 10003; w.michael.reed@nyu.edu.

A PDF file of the full articles is available. Contact: jrte@iste.org. Please specifiy Volume and Issue number and article name.

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