Understanding Hypermedia

The student has already become aware of multimedia or an audiovisual package that includes more than one instructional media such as text, graphics, audio animation and video clip.
Hypermedia is nothing but multimedia, but this time packaged as an educational computer software where information is presented and student activities are integrated in a virtual learning environment. Most educational IT applications are hypermedia and these include:

• Tutorial software packages
• Knowledge webpages
• Simulation instructional games
• Learning project management, and others

The presentation of information-learning activities in hypermedia is said to be sequenced in a non-linear manner, meaning that the learner may follow his path of activities thus providing an environment of learner autonomy and thinking skills. This fact makes it therefore important to understand hypermedia in the educational context in order to ensure their successful integration in the teaching-learning process.

Characteristics of Hypermedia Applications 

There are two important features that are outstanding among other features that characterize the hypermedia software:

1. Lerner Control- This means the learner makes his own decisions on the path, flow or events of instruction. The learner has control on such aspects as sequence, pace, content, media, feedback, etc. that he/she may encounter in the hypermedia learning program.

2. Learner Wide Range of Navigation Routes- for the most part, the learner controls the sequence and pace of his path depending on his ability and motivation. He has the option to repeat and change speed, if desired. Of course, at the start, the learner may choose the learning activities he prefers. meanwhile, the teachers has the prerogative to determine suitable learning objectives.

Variety of Media- hypermedia includes more than one media (text, graphics, audio, animation and video clip) but does not necessary use all types of media in one presentation. Since only virtual learning activity takes place, it is important from the standpoint of the teacher to optimize the learning process by identifying the characteristics media application, as well as the advantages and limitations of such an application.

In the use of hypermedia the following instructional events will prove useful to the teacher:

•  Get the learners' attention
• Recall prior knowledge
• Inform learners of lesson objectives
• Introduce the software and its distinctive features
• Guide learning, eliciting performance 
• Provide learning feedback
• Assess performance
• Enhance retention and learning transfer 

ISSUE

Hypermedia provides autonomous learning. How can it help the students to be a good learner?

Hypermedia makes the user to be independent. It requires the user to make his own decision on how he outline the media based on how he want it. Hypermedia serves only as a tool and the user is the designer and manipulator. Just like in studying. The students should not only rely on teachers, but they need to learn on their own. There are times that our teachers can't provide the information that we want, so we need to learn on ourselves. There are several ways on how the students deal to that. Some of them is by surfing and searching on the internet, observing, go to the library, and interview some persons that are credible about the topic or issue that we want to know. Learning is not like spoon feeding that the students only depends on their teachers. They need also to explore and learn by their own.