Constructing Knowledge from an Ill-Structured Domain: Testing a Multimedia Hamlet.

How a multimedia program that employs concept maps and hypertext for teaching "Hamlet" facilitated comprehension in an undergraduate course is described. Results suggest factors that instructional designers should take into accountto improve learning. Thirty-six upper-division college students were enrolled in a course on Shakespeare at a regional university. Using HyperCard, a document for teaching and interpreting "Hamlet" was prepared. Characterization, plot, literary analysis, and perspective on revenge that were built into concept maps were the principal interface of the program. Video commentary by the course instructor juxtaposed to an available screen portrayal of "Hamlet" advanced the major interpretations of the play. A 25-question objective test measured student learning. The experimental group outperformed the control group on this measure of learning. Results suggest that the multimedia document was useful in consolidating knowledge from the play. The interface design appeared to aid students in acquiring major concepts. One table and two figures illustrate the findings, and attachments illustrate some of the hypertext screens. (Contains 26 references.) (SLD) *****,. *,.,************A*********** .,******************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. i-e*i.-***1'.****,A,',1**::***************************************** DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Mot of EducAltonte Research and Improvement ECUCA DONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER tERiC) CI This document has tseen reproduced as teetered 110m the oe,Sca Or 0,(11,,,Z.b0. ongtnalong 11 O Maar changes have been made to trnglove reproduction Quality Potnts tnew 013,..cms slated," milnl 00 hat necessarily ,eoresent offtwat 0E01 casswon 0 policy U.E. O Constructing Knowledge from an Ill-Structured Domain: Testing a Multimedia Hamlet by William G.W. Barnes University of West Florida 1322 E. Gadsden Street