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Cognitive strategies and learning from the world wide web

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the strategies used by adult learners in an open-ended hypermedia information system. Four participants were drawn from an introductory educational technology course that incorporated a unit on telecommunications. Participants completed a survey measuring reported knowledge in three domains (metacognitive, system, and subject) as well as self-efficacy toward technology. They then identified a personal search topic, and searched the World Wide Web for information using Netscape®, thinking aloud as they searched. Data collection and analysis occurred in several phases: scripting the search, reading through the data, segmenting according to research question, encoding, and aggregating. Three major findings related to hypermedia information systems resulted from this study: (a) a variety of strategies are used by learners; (b) self-reported knowledge appears to affect the strategies used; and (c) perceptions of disorientation and perceived self-efficacy influence the strategies used. Implications related to emerging information technologies and open-ended learning environments are considered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Technology at the University of Northern Colorado, USA

    Janette R. Hill

  2. Learning and Performance Support Laboratory, the University of Georgia, USA

    Michael J. Hannafin

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  1. Janette R. Hill
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  2. Michael J. Hannafin
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Additional information

This manuscript is based on the doctoral dissertation conducted by the first author at The Florida State University. The authors wish to acknowledge Dr. Marcy P. Driscoll and Dr. Robert A. Reiser of the Instructional Systems Program, Florida State University, Dr. Elisabeth L. Logan of the School of Library and Information Studies, Florida State University, and Dr. Kent L. Gustafson of the Instructional Technology Program, University of Georgia for their cooperation and support as committee members during the conduct of this study. The preliminary manuscript was prepared while the first author was working as a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Georgia's Learning and Performance Support Laboratory.

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Hill, J.R., Hannafin, M.J. Cognitive strategies and learning from the world wide web. ETR&D 45, 37–64 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02299682

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