Carol M. Koroghlanian

Effects of Overviews and Computer Experience on Learning from Hypertext

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of overview mode and computer experience in a hypertext learning environment. College students read a hypertext unit that included a structured overview, an unstructured overview, or no overview. The study examined the effects of overview mode and computer experience on achievement, attitude and instructional time. Results indicated that participants with high computer experience learned more from the hypertext program than those with low computer experience. Furthermore, participants who received either the structured or unstructured overview spent significantly more time using the hypertext program and had significantly more positive attitudes than participants who did not receive an overview. However, overview mode did not influence achievement.

Writing Test Questions Like a Pro.

Assessment, particularly standardized testing, is a hot topic in education today. Regardless of current fads, most classroom teachers have a need for objective tests—tests written by the teacher to assess student learning of specific objectives. Writing a good test is not easy, but by following the guidelines presented in this article, teachers can write better test items and, hence, evaluate student learning better.