Computer users need not form a mental model to describe what is happening during a tutorial. Rather, users need to form text schemas, and tutorials should be thought of as a communication medium. Tutorials should be considered to be like books, and hypertext may be the best structure for them. (Contains 40 references.) (JLB)

Discussion of the use of hypertext focuses on a study conducted at the University of Connecticut that evaluated the effectiveness and acceptance of a hypertext document under one of three different learning conditions: (1) in competition with standard lectures, (2) as a supplement to lectures, and (3) as a replacement for lectures. (14 references)…

Describes a study of Australian undergraduates that investigated the nature of learning experiences and quality of learning achieved when students organized information into a HyperCard program. Differences between the learning strategies of using HyperCard and traditional class tutorial presentations are discussed, and student attitudes are…

Discussion of hypertext structures focuses on three studies of preservice teachers that assessed the effects of different methods of explicitly mapping expert knowledge structures onto hypertext on the acquisition of structural knowledge. Topics addressed include time on task, semantic networking, cognitive limitations of browsing behavior, and…

Describes a study that explored the impact of using interactive video in a seventh grade earth sciences curriculum. The effectiveness of interactive video and traditional text instructional methods in different settings (computer lab versus classroom) are compared, gender differences are examined, and recommendations for future research are given.…