What is hypermedia? Why should it be used in education? How is it currently being used in education--especially in early childhood education? And, what are the possible consequences of its educational uses on the socio-cultural fabric of our society? This paper examines theory and research aimed at answering these questions.
Hypermedia: Definition And Reasons For Its Use In Education
Charp (1993) defines hypermedia, as used in the educational setting, as the use of two or more media for instructional purposes, e.g. the simultaneous use of photos, graphs, sound animation, and video. According to Peck and Dorricott (1994) there are ten crucial reasons why hypermedia should be used in the education system. These reasons are:
(1) Hypermedia such as videodisc technologies and computers can used to individualize instruction thereby compensating for the fact that students learn and develop at different rates and increasing levels of student learning.
(2) Society is increasingly in need of those who are proficient at accessing, evaluating, and communicating information through technology. By using technological media in the classroom, students are assisted in learning the skills they will need to live successfully in the twenty-first century.
(3) Hypermedia fosters improvement in students' reading and writing skills.
(4) Hypermedia presentations call for higher-order thinking which helps students to learn how to solve complex problems; in other words, it improves students' thinking skills.
(5) Hypermedia can nurture artistic expression through technology-based art forms such as video production, computer-based animation, and digital photography.
(6) Hypermedia teaches students how to access and utilize resources that exist outside of the school by familiarizing them with methods and techniques of seeking information other than what textbooks provide.
(7) Hypermedia can teach students to produce products that ...