You are here:

Examining Causes of Extraneous Load in Hypertext Search

, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia Volume 28, Number 4, ISSN 1055-8896 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC USA

Abstract

This study investigates how graphical and content list type overviews with and without navigation restrictions affect the cognitive load experienced by a learner searching for information in a hypertext. The study used a 2x2 between factor design with the factors navigability (restricted vs. non-restricted) and overview format (graphical vs. content list). Participants had to search for information in a hypertext within a specific time limit. Analyses of participants’ eye movements revealed that participants’ cognitive load was higher in the navigation restricted condition than in the non-restricted condition. Furthermore, a higher cognitive load was experienced with the graphical overview than with the content list type overview. Search efficiency was also higher in the navigation non-restricted condition than in the restricted condition. Furthermore, the better participants represented the hypertext structure the better was their search efficiency. Results of the study indicate that a simple content list type overview that can be directly navigated supports learners best in an information search task.

Citation

Urakami, J. (2019). Examining Causes of Extraneous Load in Hypertext Search. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 28(4), 435-455. Waynesville, NC USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved March 28, 2024 from .