Designing Hypermedia Systems for Instruction

Abstract

In recent years, hypermedia has been widely adopted in education. However, negative effects have been reported. There is not much “instruction” in existing hypermedia systems. Also, most hypermedia designs are based on the capabilities of technology, not on instructional theories or research Findings. This article explored the principles and theories relevant to the design of effective hypermedia courseware. The micro-design, which concerns the designing of discrete screens, discussed guidelines in five categories: information formats, language usages, highlighting techniques, operating directions, and screen layouts. The macro-design, which addresses the interrelationships of screens, explored the content organization and presentation flow of hypermedia systems. Finally, a courseware template and a real product were constructed to exemplify the designing principles of “instructional” hypermedia systems.