The effects of cognitive style and knowledge structure on performance using a hypermedia learning system

Hypermedia software is quickly becoming popular with many educational institutions and curriculum programs. One of its major attractions is that it allows for the flexible structuring, construction, and exploration of the knowledge domain. The purpose of this research study was to determine the relationship among the cognitive style (active and reflective), the structuring of the knowledge domain as controlled by the hypermedia software (hierarchical, branching, and conventional), and the test performance of the learner (in terms of cognitive skill levels). More specifically, a controlled group experiment with 115 pre-adolescent, elementary school students (fifth-graders) was conducted. An immediate written posttest, used to assess the subjects' learning performance in terms of total, higher-order, and lower-order cognitive skills, was administered. Significant differences were found among the three knowledge structure schema groups for the total and the higher-order cognitive skills performance scores. No significant relationship was observed between cognitive style and performance, nor did this variable significantly interact with the knowledge structure variable. The major conclusion from this study is that a relationship exists between the structuring of the knowledge domain, as reflected by the hypermedia software, and positive learning performance. This relationship is also extended to the effective use of higher-order cognitive skills.

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