Why the hypermedia model is inadequate for computer-based instruction

Abstract

With the persuasiveness of hypermedia and its advocated use in computer-based instruction (CBI), it is important to understand the relationship between the two directions. The major difference lies in the way nodes are traversed and the rules that govern such traversals. Whereas hypermedia systems are limited to referential browsing, computer-based instructional systems also require contextual linking enabling the traversal of alternative routes based on the performance level of a student and/or the instructional mode involved. This requires additional facilities not available in the hypermedia model. In this paper, we describe an abstract model of computer-based instructional systems that can be used to highlight the inadequacies of the general hypermedia model and extend its conceptual base to a much wider range of instructional modes.