Affiliations: Research and Development Center for Information Technology in Education (TOTY), Faculty of Education, University of Joensuu, Finland
Abstract: Despite the vast and rich panorama of hypertext research, to date there are still no clear definitions of what hypertext really is. Classical references describe the concept “hypertext” as a non-linear way of thinking, reading, and accessing the information which is best done on the computer screen. This paper shows the present situation where hypertext is seen as the interaction between the learner and an information source; it raises questions about how information should be organised so as to promote better learning. Due to the fact that the present empirical results still show no consensus among hypertext researchers about the different representations of educational hypertexts; this paper will bring together three perspectives, in particular traditional, pedagogical and psychological points of view, in order to obtain a coherent view of the current situation in hypertext research. The traditional perspective will outline two main problems that seem endemic to hypertext: problems of navigation and cognitive overload. The pedagogical perspective will summarise the main ideas of three possible theoretical justifications of existing educational hypertexts: the ideas of concept mapping, cognitive flexibility theory, and semantic networking. The psychological perspective will evaluate hypertext from the perspective of human factors (or ergonomics). Finally, a critical investigation of existing educational hypertexts with consideration of relevant learning theories and human activities will lead to a clearer definition of possible arenas where hypertext might be or might not be an appropriate learning tool.
