Supporting self directed learning in hypermedia contexts: A designer's perspective

There are both economic and pedagogic reasons for promoting computer mediated learning in schools and universities. The economic justifications are yet to be fulfilled. Initial development costs have been high and frequently borne by the enthusiasm of early adopters. While their work has contributed much to our understanding of the potential of technology, as Laurillard (1999) suggests, such an approach is unsustainable.

Pedagogic intentions are becoming more clearly articulated but are still difficult to realise. Early assumptions that the hyper-abundance of information and sensory stimulation available in multimedia and online environments would readily enhance teaching and learning were quickly destroyed. Some authors such as Campbell (1988) suggest that the new technologies lead to a 'hypermind' characterised by lack of self knowledge, prey to sensory instead of intellectual stimulation, poor communication and thinking skills, lack of metacognitive ability and inability to handle information overload.

In hypermedia environments, which emphasise freedom of choice and the potential for students to structure their own learning experiences, the pedagogy of self directed learning has been identified as an important theoretical framework. Authors such as Lin (1994) state that independent decision making, understanding, and effectively regulating one's own learning process, is crucial for an individual to operate in hypermedia based learning environments successfully. Accordingly, he suggests that the design of 'bells and whistles' external learner controls is less beneficial than finding ways to encourage the type of internal learner controls exercised by self directed learners.

Innovation in new media is rarely straightforward. Willis (1995) comments that the development of learning environments to support constructivist ideals often relies on a reflective/recursive design process that may be chaotic in nature. Small budgets, unpredictable production schedules and unanticipated difficulties leave little time for documenting the development process or exploring the ideas which emerge.

The purpose of this paper is to present some of the problems and solutions that emerged from reflections in action on the process of designing hypermedia resources to encourage internal learner control. It is based on three hypermedia programs on which we have worked over the past five years.

• On the Move, for upper primary students is about population change and the environment;
  
• Hazards Happen. for junior secondary students, is on natural disaster management; and
  
• Hugo, for postgraduate students is a guide to research methodology in social sciences.

We conclude that all such issues are a feature of design and may be addressed through personal connections from designer to user using non-prescriptive language to recommend learning strategies. By thus adopting an authorial voice, the hypermedia designer becomes teacher, mentor and guide while showing due respect to the individual preferences of independent learners.