W. Michael Reed

Computer Experience and Interval-Based Hypermedia Navigation

AbstractThis study focused on determining the relationships among student characteristics, such as gender, learning style, and varying prior computer experiences, and students’ linear and non-linear navigation of a hypermedia program. Additionally, the navigation patterns were analyzed at three different intervals to determine the relative temporal influence of these characteristics on linear and nonlinear navigation. It was found that authoring, programming, and gender (specifically female) were positively related to linear navigation during the early interval; that learning style (specifically field independent) and hypermedia experience were negatively related to linear navigation during the early interval; and that word processing experience, database experience, spreadsheet experience, learning style (specifically field independent), and hypermedia experience were positively related to nonlinear navigation during the early interval. At the middle interval, many of the characteristics were no longer d...

Effects of Learning Styles, Programming, and Gender on Computer Anxiety

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of learning styles, programming, and gender on computer anxiety. Fifty-eight undergraduate preservice teachers (36 females, 22 males) participated. Kolb’s Learning Styles Inventory, a modified version of Spielberger’s Anxiety Scale, and a written and hands-on measure of BASIC programming were used. Programming instruction was found to significantly reduce computer anxiety, but with no significant difference by type of learning style. The one-day intensive format reduced computer anxiety significantly less than the four-week distributed format. Females significantly outperformed males on the hands-on component of the exam. The two types of learning styles that were least represented (Convergers and Divergers) were found to reduce computer anxiety the least and to perform the poorest on both aspects of the exam.

The Effect of Hypermedia Assisted Instruction on Second Language Learning

Literature on hypermedia has been growing. Although its potentials and educational implications are being explored, not much empirical research has been done to substantiate its rich theoretical assumptions and verify its promises. The purpose of this study was to provide some results on the practical application of the technology. It intended to investigate the effect of hypermedia technology on enhancing vocabulary learning among non-native English speakers.

Teacher Education Students and Computers

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to identify patterns of computer experience and attitudes of teacher education students. During a mandatory computer awareness course, the students provided information on their major, gender, and prior computer use. They also responded to a 20-item computer anxiety instrument. This information was collected from 914 teacher education undergraduates over a four-year period. Some of the findings include that over the course of four years, an increasing number of students entered the mandatory course with more experience—during Year 1 more than 50% had no prior computer experience whereas during Year 4 only 33% had no prior experience. Although programming experience remained relatively high throughout the four years, there was a trend of a decrease in computer use—from 33.5% in Year 1 to 28.2% in Year 4. The major areas of increase were CAI (from 6% in Year 1 to 21.6% in Year 4) and CMI, or applications software (from 10.2% in Year 1 to 17.4% in Year 4). A significant ...

Prior computer-related experiences and hypermedia metacognition

Abstract One way to summarize our findings is based on the extent to which a predictive variable was correlated to another. The predictors that had correlations of .500 or stronger were (a) content-area software and programming (.702), (b) content-area software and hypermedia (.537), (c) content-area software and authoring (.563), (d) word processing and general computer knowledge (.735), (e) word processing and database (.836), (f) word processing and spreadsheet (.743), (g) word processing and hypermedia (.644), (h) word processing and authoring (.517), (i) database and spreadsheet (.914), (j) spreadsheet and hypermedia (.631), (k) spreadsheet and authoring (.677), (l) programming and hypermedia (.785), and (m) hypermedia and authoring (.938). Number of years of experience and general computer knowledge did not have moderate or better correlations with the other predictors and seemed to produce some of the least impressive results, especially the number of years of experience which, again, we suspect is not a valid or reliable measure. The two most consistent predictors were word-processing and hypermedia experience, although spreadsheet and database experience produced some, but not many, findings. Authoring language experience and programming experience, likewise, produced only a few results. Our basic premise has been to determine which types of computer-related experiences best predict less linearity or greater nonlinearity when using a hypermedia program. It appears that, with our findings and the predictor correlations, word-processing experience and hypermedia experience seem to be the most consistent predictors. The fact that word-processing experience is a strong predictor is quite encouraging because it is a computer-related skill that most students are exposed to and which, based on our results, involves nonlinearity. It is a computer tool students can use when engaged in a wide range of academic tasks that require them to reconstruct or reproduce their knowledge about a topic. It may be that even students with little hypermedia experience may proceed through a hypermedia environment in a less linear, more nonlinear fashion because of their word-processing experience. The Program 1 to Program 2 result inconsistencies lead to a basic condition related to our speculation that nonlinearity is strongly possible, provided a “warm-up” exercise is built into a hypermedia experience so that students gain a sense of the navigational options at their disposal. Sitting students down in front of a computer and expecting them to push aside all the linear learning they have done and automatically become nonlinear learners may be expecting too much.

The Effects of Students' Computer-Based Prior Experiences and Instructional Exposures on the Application of Hypermedia-Related Mental Models:

The focus of this study was for students using an extensive hypermedia environment to state how the programs features, tools, or commands reflected four theoretical constructs: 1) semantic networks, 2) concept maps, 3) frames/scripts, and 4) schemata. Two exercises were created: 1) context-weak and 2) context-strong. It was found that, when the context was strong, the students cited more semantic networks and concept maps than when the context was weak. They, however, cited more frames/scripts and schemata when the context was weak than when the context was strong. In addition to viewing the four construct-models individually, the results were interpreted when establishing a linear construct-models group (semantic networks and frames/scripts) and a nonlinear construct-models group (concept maps and schemata). Results were also interpreted when grouping the construct-models as information-structure construct-models (semantic networks and concept maps) and as user-practiced construct-models (frames/scripts and schemata).

The Effect of Computer-and-Writing Instruction on Prospective English Teachers' Attitudes toward and Perceived Uses of Computers in Writing Instruction

AbstractIn this study the attitudes toward and perceived uses of computers of English education undergraduates were measured after an 11-week course focusing on computers and writing. The group was divided into three groups: (a) those entering with no computer experience, (b) those entering with word processing experience, and (c) those entering with both word processing and programming language experience. It was found that the computer anxiety of the entire group reduced from pre- to post-treatment. Not only did the number of computer uses they listed at the onset increase—from 94 to 143, an increase of 52%—but also the types of uses departed from the early focus on isolated skills (via drill and practice) to the later domination of writing process uses. The changes in concerns of all students went from Awareness and Personal to Consequence, Collaboration, and Refocusing—changes that reflect concerns focusing less on self and more on their prospective students and fellow teachers. In all analyses, the s...

The effects of hypermedia knowledge and learning style on the construction of group concept maps

Abstract This study involved 20 research participants who created group concept maps on the term “hypermedia.” The purpose of the study was to determine whether groups, membership of which was based on a mixture of learning styles or a mixture of hypermedia knowledge, constructed concept maps that differed in terms of number of concepts, number of nodes, number of links, number of bidirectional links, number of multiple concept nodes, number of nodes with multiple links, and varying levels of hierarchical relationships. It was found that the group comprised of two convergers, one assimilator, and one diverger, all of whom had a high level of hypermedia knowledge, was the most productive. Of the 11 measures, they produced the most for 7 of them. We were also interested in determining the interactive dynamics that either learning style or hypermedia knowledge played as the participants constructed their group concept maps. We audiotaped their interactions and categorized their comments and actions within the learning style traits associated with being either a converger, a diverger, an assimilator, or an accommodator. Learning style seemed to explain the types of interactions more than hypermedia knowledge did.

Relationships Among Hypermedia-Based Mental Models and Hypermedia Knowledge

AbstractUsing a 2-study design, this article examines the relationships among students’ use of 4 hypermedia-based mental models, their knowledge of hypermedia, and 2 task types. In the first study, students were allowed to cite multiple mental models for each program feature chosen; the second study required the students to choose only 1 of the 4 mental models for each program feature. Because students with more hypermedia knowledge more frequently cited the nonlinear models, the results of this study support a premise that students require experience with hypermedia before nonlinear information structures can be fully utilized. Additionally, instructional decisions to vary the context of student exercises are supported because students differentially apply the 4 models depending on the context of the exercise and understanding all 4 models thought to provide a better understanding of hypermedia design.

The Effects of Online Multimedia Project Development, Learning Style, and Prior Computer Experiences on Teachers’ Attitudes Toward the Internet and Hypermedia

AbstractThis study was based on the effects of a multimedia institute on teachers’ attitudes toward the Internet and hypermedia. Factored in the analysis, in addition to the institute, were the teachers’ learning styles and prior computer-related experiences. It was found that the teacherdevelopers’ attitudes toward hypermedia changed more than their attitudes toward the Internet. Of the seven Internet domains, the teachers’ Refocusing attitudes increased. Of the seven hypermedia domains, Awareness, Informational, and Management attitudes decreased, and Refocusing attitudes increased. Prior hypermedia-related experience was the strongest predictor of Internet and hypermedia attitudes. Learning style did not have a significant effect on either Internet or hypermedia attitudes.