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

W. Michael Reed, David J. Ayersman, and Min Liu
Journal of Educational Computing Research, Vol. 14(2), 1996, p. 185-207

The focus of this study was for students using an extensive hypermedia environment to state how the program's 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).

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