Information Design Journal - Volume 14, Issue 1, 2006

We conducted an explorative study to investigate whether hypertext users use spatial expressions to conceptualize cognitive actions they are involved in, and how these expressions relate to the type of actions (executions versus evaluations) and the level of actions (syntactic vs. semantic vs. pragmatic). As a method, we used ten thinking aloud protocols of hypertext users who were navigating a website. The results of the protocol analysis indicate that spatial expressions were most frequent when users describe executions on the syntactic action level. The exploration allows us to critically assess the value of the thinking aloud method to shed light on the cognitive actions and processing involved in using hypertext.

Little is known about the influence of micro-level design factors on the effectiveness with which static and animated graphics support comprehension of dynamic information. Graphics are frequently used as adjuncts to written and spoken text with the aim of addressing any potential ambiguities that may arise during interpretation. When used to depict information about temporal change, graphics can present the situational dynamics with varying degrees of explicitness. With static graphics, viewer interpretation is reliant on some degree of inference; whereas with animated graphics, the dynamics can be presented in a direct, analog form. The effectiveness of static and animated graphics for portraying dynamic subject matter appears to be closely related to fine-grained aspects of the interaction between the graphic and its user that may be missed if a largely intuitive approach to design is adopted. Selected findings from empirical research into the effects of content, cues, background knowledge and attentional influences are discussed as a basis for suggesting a more principled approach to the design of adjunct graphics.

Educational hypertext aims to improve the reader’s comprehension by providing flexible access to information. However, this flexibility imposes additional tasks upon a reader who is used to gaining information in a linear manner. One of these difficulties is in choosing the reading order of the hypertext sections. In the present work, we explore two possible strategies to decide the reading order in hypertext: strategies based on coherence and interest. Results of two laboratory experiments reveal that a semantically coherent reading order improves comprehension for novice readers. Finally, we focus on ways to analyze coherence of the reading order, and how to promote it in educational hypertexts.

Ten student teachers having naïve epistemological beliefs and nine having sophisticated beliefs read seven texts about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, representing partly conflicting views on the topic. The results indicated that students with sophisticated beliefs were better at melding information from multiple perspectives. Moreover, they suggested that the students attained this advantage by engaging in more active use of deeper level text-processing strategies. In terms of practical implications, this research suggests that students working with multiple texts should be given the opportunity to reflect on their epistemological stances and also be taught how they can strategically construct meaning in this complex task environment.

This paper proposes a research-based tool to assist visually impaired persons (VIPs) in using the Internet via screen readers. The proposed tool is inspired by research on modeling web use and model-based highlighting. This tool assists VIPs in selecting goal-relevant information on web pages. A computational cognitive model simulates the VIPs’ Internet use. An intelligent agent capable of dynamic highlighting and selective reading based on efficient machine learning algorithms runs alongside the (simulated) user. The agent learns from interacting with the cognitive model and the information space. This agent is implemented in an adaptive interface that takes, expands and updates a user goal, finds goal-relevant information and suggests it to the (simulated) user in an appropriate way. The proposed tool could be applied in situations that require handling information overload with limited perceptive and cognitive capabilities.