Evaluating hypermedia and learning: methods and results from the Perseus Project

ABSTRACT

The Perseus Project has developed a hypermedia corpus of materials related to the ancient Greek world. The materials include a variety of texts and images, and tools for using these materials and navigating the sytem. Results from a three-year evaluation of Perseus use in a variety of college settings are described. The evaluation assessed both this particular system and the application of the technological genre to information management and to learning. The evaluation used a variety of methods to address questions about learning and teaching with hypermedia and to guide the development of early versions of the system. Results illustrate that such environments offer potential for accelerating learning and for supporting new types of learning and teaching; that students and instructors must develop new strategies for learning and teaching with such technology; and that institutions must develop infrastructural support for such technology. The results also illustrate the importance of well-designed interfaces and different types of assignments on user performance.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human information processing

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.7 DOCUMENT AND TEXT PROCESSING
      I.7.2 Document Preparation
          Subjects: Hypertext/hypermedia

  J. Computer Applications
  J.5 ARTS AND HUMANITIES
      Subjects: Language translation; Literature

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors

Keywords:
human-computer interaction, hypermedia, learning, teaching