Computers are increasingly used worldwide in teaching and learning. The education system in South Africa also calls for the use of technology in teaching and learning as one of the critical cross-field outcomes of outcomes based education (OBE). In order to achieve this goal, the hypermedia-based learning environment, including Web-based learning, needs to be explored, especially since not many studies locally have focused on this topic. Although many schools already provide education in Information Technology, not all learners are adept at navigating the Web. This study focused on information overload and disorientation on the Web. The purpose of the study was to explore Web-based learning and to develop strategies to enable learners to overcome impeding factors while constructing and representing knowledge in a hypermedia-based learning environment. This, being a new approach to and method of learning interaction that employs hypermediabased learning strategies, encapsulates the integration of technology in education at secondary school level. The literature study was based on the design experiment method, which embraced a qualitative research approach, both descriptive and explorative, and was found to be appropriate for the purposes of this study. The data gathering methods relevant to establishing how e-literacy can assist in reducing information overload in a hypermedia environment were individual interviews, focus group interviews, observation and open-ended questions. The participants were grade 10 learners from a secondary school in the North West Province and their Information Technology teacher. A conceptual framework of the learning programme was created in order to integrate the guiding principles for the design process. The framework outlines how the design process was carried out based on teaching and learning theories, and using a constructivist approach in an attempt to reduce information overload and disorientation while using ICT tools. xvi The content of the learning programme focused on the Cricket World Cup 2003, in the learning area of Life Orientation. Learners were to learn navigation strategies for effective and meaningful learning on the Web, with the help of guided interactive tasks in order to avoid information overload and learner disorientation in hyperspace. The effectiveness of the strategies was also evaluated. The learners’ experiences and feelings about, and perspectives on participating in the hypermedia-based learning programme were investigated. The results indicated that the learning programme – aimed at providing learners with adequate knowledge and skills for navigating in the Web – promoted motivation and enabled learners to successfully construct and represent knowledge in the hypermedia-learning environment. It enhanced not only experiential and independent learning, but also individual, collaborative and cognitive situated learning. The principles of constructivism and OBE facilitated teaching and learning as the guiding factor in both educator and learner instances. However, it became clear that a lack of skills and awareness in using ICT tools to construct meaningful knowledge, as well as being inexperienced in the constructivist approach, could easily give rise to information overload and disorientation. It was concluded that the onus is on educators, instructional designers and developers of learning programmes to equip themselves with the necessary eliteracy skills in order to guide and prepare learners increasingly in the field of Information Technology in education. This is essential, because there is a great need for e-literacy in open distance learning, and as a prerequisite for tertiary education and lifelong learning in South Africa. / Prof. D. van der Westhuizen Prof. M.H. Trϋmpelmann
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:7532 |
| Date | 04 August 2008 |
| Creators | Sesemane, Moeketsi Jonas |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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