Hypertext Concept in Educational Application / Knowledge Collection

(source: my thesis- improving learning ability through hypertext system)

Hypertext in Learning Experience

The hypertext concept to retrieve and read information has caused great excitement in educational application "because hypertext has the power to change the way we understand and experience texts, it offers radical promises and challenges to students, teachers and theorists of literature" [Landow, 1989, p. 174]. The prospective of hypertext has been noticeably discussed by Son [1998] in CALL research, which investigates the effects of hypertext in language learning and teaching. He concludes that hypertext can be used as a strategic approach to improve learning process.

Hypertext makes CALL work actively by allowing and encouraging learners to
manage the learning process independently and to explore linked pieces of
information non-sequentially on the basis of their personal preferences and
needs….Each learner can have the option to link either to an explanation of any
word or to various types and sources of information on particular items as much
of the larger material as required or desired by the learner…As a result,
hypertext facilitates a discovery approach and enhances learning strategies in a
self-directed way [Son, 1998].

Biber [1992, p.271] also comments on the use of hypertext as a collection of information libraries. This collection is used for cross-referencing and explanations to help students improve their ability to write expository and argumentative essay. This improving learning ability is caused by better learning experiences through ‘feeling‘ how the nodes, such as texts, sounds, and even video clips are linked to others [Armstrong and Yetter-Vassot, 1994]. When a student wants to enrich their learning experience, then, they must also train their thought of how their thinking can trace relevant knowledge. Dreher [1997, p.109] utters that hypertext can help user to find and develop user’s knowledge.

…Without losing the train of thought, users may follow such a link to help make
the meaning clear, and then return, without the cognitive burden of retracing
steps of picking up the thread, to the place from which they came.
As work proceeds, the Concept may be elaborated, altered and developed to
reflect the knowledge creator’s emerging thought.

It can be seen that hypertext not only potential in educational application for creating a collection of information of documents, but also for influencing the way of learning process in finding, developing, and experiencing knowledge.

References:

[Landow, 1989] Landow, G. P., 1989, Hypertext in literary education, criticism, and scholarship, Computers and the Humanities, 23, 173-198.

[Son, 1998] Son, J. B., 1998, Understanding Hypertext: A discussion for TEFL, English Teaching, 53(3), pp.113-124.

[Biber, 1992] Biber, D., 1992, Applied linguistics and computer applications, In W. Grabe & R.B. Kaplan (Eds.), Introduction to applied linguistics, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, pp.257-278.

[Armstrong and Yetter-Vassot, 1994] Armstrong, K. M., & Yetter-Vassot, C., 1994, Transforming teaching through technology, Foreign Language Annals, 27, pp. 475-486.

[Dreher, 1997] Dreher, H.V., 1997, Empowering Human Cognitive Activity through Hypertext Technology, PhD Thesis. Curtin University of Technology, Perth Western Australia.