Comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts

Contains fulltext : 191141.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)This study aims to investigate secondary school students' reading comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts with and without a graphic overview compared to linear digital texts. Additionally, it was studied whether prior knowledge, vocabulary, verbal, and visual working memory moderated the relation between text design and comprehension. Therefore, 80 first-year secondary school students read both a linear text and a networked hypertext with and without a graphical overview. Logfiles registered their navigation. After reading the text, students answered textbased multiple choice questions and drew mindmaps to assess their structural knowledge of each text content. It was found that both textbased and structural knowledge were lower after reading a networked hypertext than a linear text, especially in students with lower levels of vocabulary. Students took generally more time to read the hypertext than the linear text. We concluded that networked hypertexts are more challenging to read than linear texts and that students may benefit from explicit training on how to read hypertexts.9 p

Children’s Macro-Level Navigation Patterns in Hypermedia and their Relation with Task Structure and Learning Outcomes

This study investigated macro-level navigation patterns in children’s hypermedia learning, and how they related to task structure and learning outcomes. For this purpose, 5th and 6th grade learners performed a hypermedia assignment in which a high (n=57) versus a low (n=54) level of structure was provided. By means of qualitative analyses of their navigation activities, 6 macro-level navigation patterns were distinguished: linear reading, selective reading, video viewing, massed writing, late onset writing, and unpredictable reading. Results showed that the linear reading pattern was more frequent in the high structure environment, and that both the high structure environment and the linear reading pattern were associated with the highest quality of the children’s written assignments. Navigation patterns and task structure did not clearly predict children’s declarative knowledge gains or knowledge transfer. These findings show that there are multiple ways to navigate through a hypermedia environment, but that these are not all equally successful for learning. Moreover, the provided task structure in the environment may affect the occurrence of successful navigation patterns

Data Showcases: the Data Journal in a Multimodal World

   As an experiment, the Research Data Journal for the Humanities and Social Sciences (RDJ) has temporarily extended the usual format of the online journal with so-called ‘showcases’, separate web pages containing a quick introduction to a dataset, embedded multimedia, interactive components, and facilities to directly preview and explore the dataset described. The aim was to create a coherent hyper document with content communicated via different media (multimodality) and provide space for new forms of scientific publication such as executable papers (e.g. Jupyter notebooks). This paper discusses the objectives, technical implementations, and the need for innovation in data publishing considering the advanced possibilities of today's digital modes of communication. The data showcases experiment proved to be a useful starting point for an exploration of related developments within and outside the humanities and social sciences. It turns out that small-scale experiments are relatively easy to perform thanks to the easy availability of digital technology. However, real innovation in publishing affects organization and infrastructure and requires the joint effort of publishers, editors, data repositories, and authors. It implies a thorough update of the concept of publication and adaptation of the production process. This paper also pays attention to these obstacles to taking new paths

Níveis de compreensão na leitura de textos informativos em diferentes mídias

This research was developed to investigate the levels of understanding of information in academic and journalistic texts read in different digital media and in print, in order to check if there would be significant differences in reading in these media. The study was based on Kintsch e Rawson’s (2013) comprehension model and used Barret’s (1968) taxonomy, and its adaptation, in the elaboration of the reading tests. It is a quasi-quantitative research, conducted with 24 participants, which involved reading texts and carrying out comprehension tests, in order to assess how much readers understood information in the texts read, two academic (an abstract and an introduction of scientific articles) and two journalist texts (academic news and journalistic news) when read in different digital media (cell phone, tablet and computer) and in print. Statistical tests (ANOVA and t test) did not identify significant differences in comprehension in relation to the text read or the media used for reading. Although the results did not reveal that digital reading can hinder – or benefit – comprehension of informative texts when read academic and journalistic texts, further inquiry is needed so we can achieve conclusive results. Keywords: Levels of reading comprehension; Reading in different media; Informative texts.Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida com o intuito de investigar os níveis de compreensão das informações de textos acadêmicos e jornalísticos lidos em diferentes meios digitais e no meio impresso, a fim de verificar se há diferenças significativas na leitura nesses meios. A pesquisa se apoia no modelo de compreensão de Kintsch e Rawson (2013) e utiliza a taxonomia de Barret (1968) e sua adaptação na elaboração dos testes de compreensão. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quasi-experimental com 24 participantes, proficientes em língua inglesa e experientes em leitura, impressa e digital. O estudo envolveu a leitura de textos e a realização de testes de compreensão e retenção, para que fosse avaliado o quanto os leitores compreenderam dos textos lidos, dois acadêmicos (resumo e introdução de artigos científicos) e dois jornalísticos (uma noticia acadêmica e uma notícia jornalística) quando lidos em meios digitais diversos (celular, tablet e computador) e em meio impresso. Testes estatísticos (ANOVA e Teste t) não identificaram diferenças significativas na compreensão em relação ao texto lido ou ao meio de leitura. Embora os resultados não tenham revelado que a leitura em mídias digitais compromete – ou favorece – a compreensão de informações na leitura de textos acadêmicos e jornalísticos, futuras pesquisas são necessárias para a obtenção de resultados conclusivos. Palavras-chave: Níveis de compreensão leitora; Leitura em diferentes meios; Textos informativos

Níveis de compreensão na leitura de textos informativos em diferentes mídias

Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida com o intuito de investigar os níveis de compreensão das informações de textos acadêmicos e jornalísticos lidos em diferentes meios digitais e no meio impresso, a fim de verificar se há diferenças significativas na leitura nesses meios. A pesquisa se apoia no modelo de compreensão de Kintsch e Rawson (2013) e utiliza a taxonomia de Barret (1968) e sua adaptação na elaboração dos testes de compreensão. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quasi-experimental com 24 participantes, proficientes em língua inglesa e experientes em leitura, impressa e digital. O estudo envolveu a leitura de textos e a realização de testes de compreensão e retenção, para que fosse avaliado o quanto os leitores compreenderam dos textos lidos, dois acadêmicos (resumo e introdução de artigos científicos) e dois jornalísticos (uma noticia acadêmica e uma notícia jornalística) quando lidos em meios digitais diversos (celular, tablet e computador) e em meio impresso. Testes estatísticos (ANOVA e Teste t) não identificaram diferenças significativas na compreensão em relação ao texto lido ou ao meio de leitura. Embora os resultados não tenham revelado que a leitura em mídias digitais compromete – ou favorece – a compreensão de informações na leitura de textos acadêmicos e jornalísticos, futuras pesquisas são necessárias para a obtenção de resultados conclusivos. Palavras-chave: Níveis de compreensão leitora; Leitura em diferentes meios; Textos informativos

Construcción de mapas conceptuales navegables y comprensión lectora: análisis de procesos y diseño de instrucción

Una correcta comprensión lectora en hipertexto requiere de una buena competencia lectora tradicional pero, además, leer un hipertexto cuenta con unas exigencias adicionales a la lectura tradicional: la necesidad de emplear estrategias de navegación como la integración de información o las secuencias de selección de enlaces (Naumann, Richter, Christmann & Groeben, 2008) que no son necesarias en los textos lineales. A las complejidades añadidas a la lectura en hipertexto por las exigencias en navegación, contamos en el caso del alumnado de sexto de Primaria con dificultades adicionales relacionadas con la inmadurez de sus habilidades lectoras tradicionales y de sus estrategias de navegación. En la presente tesis se plantea la posibilidad de introducir la tarea de la construcción de mapas conceptuales navegables como herramienta para que el lector de hipertexto mejore su propia comprensión. Los mapas conceptuales estáticos han demostrado suponer una ayuda para la navegación y la integración de información presente en hipertextos por lo que, desde una perspectiva constructivista, pretendemos probar si la construcción de estos mapas por parte del lector mejoraría su comprensión final. De los resultados obtenidos en los primeros dos estudios de la tesis se extrae que la mera tarea de construir mapas conceptuales navegables, per se, no mejora la comprensión lectora del hipertexto. Sin embargo, existen algunas variables que sí llevan al lector a lograr una mejor comprensión final del material, como son contar con una alta competencia lectora tradicional, o emplear determinadas estrategias durante la creación de los mapas como establecer etiquetas relevantes entre los nodos relacionados, o leer toda la información de cada fragmento antes de establecer relaciones entre ellos. Con la información extraída de estos dos primeros experimentos, se plantea en la tesis un último estudio en el que se instruye al alumnado en estas estrategias para el empleo adecuado de la construcción de mapas conceptuales como ayuda para la comprensión del hipertexto en alumnado de primaria. El programa de instrucción implementa una técnica muy novedosa en la instrucción de estrategias de comprensión: el modelado de movimientos oculares. Esta técnicas, consistente en modelar los movimientos oculares del lector durante la realización de una tarea tomando como modelo los movimientos oculares realizados por un experto, se ha comenzado a emplear recientemente para la adquisición en aprendizajes procedimentales. De momento, existen muy pocos estudios que la generalicen a la instrucción de aprendizajes estratégicos, como es el caso de la comprensión lectora. De la aplicación del programa de instrucción con modelado de movimientos oculares extraemos que existe una importante mejora en el aprendizaje declarativo en los participantes que habían recibido un programa de instrucción con modelado de movimientos oculares frente a los que habían participado en el mismo programa de instrucción pero sin modelado de movimientos oculares. Aunque no encontramos diferencias a nivel de ejecución posterior (de comprensión inmediata del hipertexto), sí que se aprecia un mejor recuerdo posterior del material del alumnado que había recibido la instrucción con modelado de movimientos oculares. Los resultados obtenidos son ambiguos en cuanto al empleo de mapas conceptuales para la mejora de la comprensión dado que, pese a ser una técnica que muestra una potencialidad para facilitar el entrenamiento de determinadas estrategias de navegación, su mero empleo no mejora la navegación si no viene acompañada de una instrucción previa. Sin embargo, en cuanto al empleo de modelado de movimientos oculares para la mejora de la comprensión lectora en hipertexto, los resultados son esperanzadores y muestran una mejora tanto en cuanto a comprensión de la instrucción como en recuerdo demorado del material trabajado.A correct reading comprehension in hypertext requires good traditional reading competences but, in addition, reading a hypertext has some additional requirements: the need to employ navigation strategies such as the integration of information or the selection sequences of links (Naumann, Richter, Christmann & Groeben, 2008) that are not necessary in linear texts. To the complexities added to the reading in hypertext by the demands in navigation, in the case of sixth grade students we find additional difficulties related to the immaturity of their traditional reading skills and of their navigation strategies. In this thesis we try to prove the introduction of the task of building navigable conceptual maps as a tool for hypertext readers to improve their own understanding. Static conceptual maps have proven to be useful for navigating and integrating information present in hypertexts, so from a constructivist perspective, we intend to test whether the construction of these maps by the reader would improve their final understanding. The results obtained in the first two studies of the thesis show that the mere task of constructing navigable conceptual maps, per se, does not improve the reading comprehension of the hypertext. However, there are some variables that do lead the reader to achieve a better final understanding of the material, such as having a high traditional reading competence, or to use certain strategies during the creation of the maps as to establish relevant labels between the related nodes, or reading all the information of each fragment before establishing relationships between them. With the information extracted from these first two experiments, the thesis presents a final study in which students are instructed in these strategies for the appropriate use of the construction of conceptual maps as an aid to the understanding of hypertext in primary school students. The instructional program implements a very new technique in the instruction of comprehension strategies: the modeling of eye movements. This technique, consisting of modeling the eye movements of the reader during the performance of a task taking as a model the eye movements performed by an expert, has recently begun to be used for acquisition in procedural learning. At the moment, there are very few studies that generalize to the instruction of strategic learning, as is the case of reading comprehension. From the application of the instruction program with eye movement modeling we can see that there is a significant improvement in declarative learning in the participants who had received an instruction program with eye movement modeling compared to those who had participated in the same instructional program but no modeling of eye movements. Although we did not find differences at the level of later execution (immediate comprehension of the hypertext), a better posterior memory of the material of the students who had received the instruction with modeling of eye movements is appreciated. The results obtained are ambiguous in terms of the use of concept maps to improve comprehension given that, despite being a technique that shows a potential to facilitate the training of certain navigation strategies, its mere use does not improve navigation if it does not come accompanied by a prior instruction. However, regarding the use of modeling of eye movements for the improvement of reading comprehension in hypertext, the results are encouraging and show an improvement both in terms of comprehension of instruction and in delayed recall of the material worked

Comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts

This study aims to investigate secondary school students' reading comprehension and navigation of networked hypertexts with and without a graphic overview compared to linear digital texts. Additionally, it was studied whether prior knowledge, vocabulary, verbal, and visual working memory moderated the relation between text design and comprehension. Therefore, 80 first-year secondary school students read both a linear text and a networked hypertext with and without a graphical overview. Logfiles registered their navigation. After reading the text, students answered textbased multiple choice questions and drew mindmaps to assess their structural knowledge of each text content. It was found that both textbased and structural knowledge were lower after reading a networked hypertext than a linear text, especially in students with lower levels of vocabulary. Students took generally more time to read the hypertext than the linear text. We concluded that networked hypertexts are more challenging to read than linear texts and that students may benefit from explicit training on how to read hypertexts