On the era of educational hypermedia computing: From simple links to more complex structures

Abstract

The paper presents a timeline of information and communication technologies in learning since the days of Vannebar Bush's Memex, Douglas Engelbart's Augment, Ted Nelson's Xanadu, and PLATO systems to the current lively research and development work going on between the traditional hypertext research community and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Hypermedia has been widely applied in computer assisted instruction and learning. Engelbart's NLS/Augment can be regarded as the first CSCW (Computer Supported Collaborative Work) environment. Later, such systems as Intermedia, Microcosm and HyperCard have successfully presented the ideas of hypertext in learning contexts. In this paper we discuss the development of learning theories and hypertext linking environments and their roles in today's networked and mobile learning environments. © 2004 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.