Abstract:

Reviews and evaluates major strategies for learning and information retrieval which address typical problems encountered by learners and other users of unstructured hypermedia. An exploratory analysis of the component processes of learning and information retrieval using hypermedia identified three areas in which problems might arise: goal attainment, spatial orientation, and knowledge acquisition. Suitable learning strategies for each problem area, with several substrategies, are specified, and the contribution of each substrategy to solving particular problems is outlined. Theoretical and methodological weaknesses, open questions, and practical applications of research into learning strategies for hypermedia are discussed.