Students as Hypermedia Authors

Abstract

In this study 37 seventh-grade students learned to use hypermedia software, a graphics scanner, and a videodisc player in order to create multimedia research reports about mammals as part of their science curriculum. The students worked two to a computer in 35-minute sessions twice a week for eight weeks. The researchers, using a qualitative research paradigm, examined four sources of data: participant observations, teacher interviews, written student reflections, and analysis of student stacks. This study indicates that the time students invest in learning to use hypermedia software and hardware not only gives them a powerful new medium of communication but may also give them new insights into organizing and synthesizing information.

Keywords:

• hypermedia
• multimedia
• instructional computing
• science education