HYPERMEDIA AND ACADEMIC LEVEL EDUCATION - PROMISES AND PROBLEMS

There are a lot of success stories where enthusiastic school teachers and learners describe how the use of hypermedia produces good learning outcomes. On the other hand, results from higher levels of education are not so encouraging. Only recently we have seen emerging methodologies that enable teachers and learners to fully employ the possibilities of hypermedia. It seems to us that the basis for success lies in obeying the guidelines and recommendations from the constructive cognitive learning theory. In this paper we describe our own experiences in teaching computer science majors and professionals who already are in the working life. These practical examples are drawn from the use of hypermedia on several courses at the Department of Computer Science, and at the Institute for Extension Studies, as well as from the training within the newly established Hypermedia Laboratory at our university.