Hypermedia: Instructional Innovation in Historic Costume

Abstract

Using key principles of perceptual theory, the researchers examined new instructional methods for presenting visual images of historic costume (in three 5-year increments) to students for analysis and categorization. In addition, principles of cognitive theory provided the basis for examining the effectiveness of the stimuli for each learner. Visual images consisted of different compositions: fashion plates with five figures, single figures, or segments (close-up images of upper, middle, or lower part). The historic costume lesson was developed using hypermedia technology which combines computers and videodiscs allowing for the integration of text, visual images, and audible information. Seventy-nine undergraduate students completed a Learning Style Profile and an achievement test after using the lesson. During the lesson students chose visual images (56%) more often than written descriptions (30%) or audio messages (14%) for acquiring information about historic costume. The visual composition selected most often was the single figure, followed in order by 5-figure fashion plates, and last, segments. The type of media selected correlated strongly with a student's analytical skills. Strong analytical learners used text significantly more frequently than students with average or weak analytical skills (p = .0029). The t-test revealed that for all students the mean scores for the ending achievement test increased significantly (p = .01) over the scores for the preliminary test. In addition, high analytical skills had a significant interaction (F(2,76) = 5.21, p = .008) with high achievement scores. This study lends support to the recommendation that various compositions of visual images are an effective strategy for assimilating information about historic costume. Visual images are highly important but not to the exclusion of text and audio.