Report OL148 Hypertext and Learning Styles

Training can be an expensive commodity. Reducing the time needed for training and increasing its effectiveness and durability are thus important aspects in the development of software destined for Open Learning applications. The advent of the Single European Market in 1992 led to fundamental changes in the law and practices relating to commercial and industrial operations. Both managers and staff had to learn quickly in order to assimilate these changes. There is evidence that training can be more effective when it is matched to learners' individual styles and strategies for processing information. Many traditional teaching methods do not effectively match the presentation of information with specific learning needs.

Because of the lack of enabling technology, the matching of cognitive and behavioural aspects of learning styles with teaching approaches and learning resource development has not been readily implementable. However, matching teaching with learning styles and strategies has become much easier with the advent of an enabling technology known as HYPERTEXT.

Hypertext was designed to be utilised in the production of learning packages which would reduce training time and increase the durability and quality of training. The ultimate aim of hypertext was to make technology-based training more cost-effective. Hypertext has exciting potential for developing training approaches and materials likely to achieve significant improvements in the quality of training. This project sought to exploit the contribution which this technology could make to developing training packages geared closely to trainees' own individual styles and strategies.

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This page last updated 8 February 1999.