Analysing cognitions in a hypermedia learning environment

Abstract

The paper describes the theoretical basis and methodology for research seeking to identify higher order cognitive activity occurring in students' information seeking and learning tasks with hypermedia. It reviews difficulties arising from the inconsistency among schemes of cognitive analysis, and of articulating such schemes closely with accounts of the desirable attributes of graduates in employment, where the display of higher order skills is expected. It concludes that such analyses of learning with hypermedia must, despite these problems, be guided by more holistic theoretical accounts of thinking, and constantly adapt methodologies to avoid reliance on over-simplified models.