Menus and memory load: navigation strategies in interactive search tasks

Wright, Patricia; Lickorish, Ann

doi:10.1006/ijhc.1994.1045

Cited by 22 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…One simple explanation is that the help window obscures the task window. More sophisticated arguments in the same direction involve cognitive load and interruption [Wright and Lickorish 1994]. The interviews and the Eureka data in Table VII lend support to these ideas.…”

Section: Implications For On-line Helpsupporting

confidence: 51%

A field study of exploratory learning strategies

Rieman

1996

ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact.

144

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It has been suggested that interactive computer users find "exploratory learning" to be an effective and attractive strategy for learning a new system or investigating unknown features of familiar software. In exploratory learning, instead of working through precisely sequenced training materials, the user investigates a system on his or her own initiative, often in pursuit of a real or artificial task. The value of exploratory learning has been studied in controlled settings, with special attention to newly acquired systems, but there has been little investigation of its occurrence in natural situations or in support of ongoing learning. To address this question, a field study of the behavior and attitudes of computer users in everyday working situations was performed, using diaries and structured interviews that focused on learning events. The study showed that task-oriented exploration was a widely accepted method for learning, but that it often required support from manuals and from other users or system support personnel. Exploration not related to a current or pending task was infrequent, and most users believed it to be inefficient. These findings have implications for the design of systems, documentation, and training.

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Section: Implications For On-line Helpsupporting

confidence: 51%

A field study of exploratory learning strategies

Rieman

1996

ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact.

144

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“…Authors such as Anderson et al (1993), Brown (1997), Chen and Rada (1996), Cherry et al (1989), Dwyer and Baker (2000), Gentner and Grudin (1996), Ghaoui (2003), Mohageg (1992), Nielsen (2000), Sugar (2001), Williams and Webster (1999), Wright and Lickorish (1994), propose several prescriptions to design a web-based course. We referred to them when developing the Web part of the undergraduate course entitled Teaching and Music Technology.…”

Section: Design Prescriptions Test 1 (What We Learned)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main contribution of the whole process reported here is to bring clarifications to the meaning of several web-based course design prescriptions (also called methods, procedures or tools) found in the literature or taught during courses or workshops addressing the "how to" design an effective and efficient web-based course. The prescriptions we had at the beginning of the process are (Anderson et al, 1993;Brown, 1997;Chen and Rada, 1996;Cherry et al, 1989;Cochenour and Rezabek, 1998;Dwyer and Baker, 2000;Fontana, 1987;Gentner and Grudin, 1996;Ghaoui, 2003;Mohageg, 1992;Nielsen, 2000;Sugar, 2001; Williams and Webster, 1999;Wright and Lickorish, 1994):…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using empirical data to clarify the meaning of various prescriptions for designing a web‐based course

Boulet

2004

Interactive Technology and Smart Education

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Design prescriptions to create web-based courses and sites that are dynamic, easy-to-use, interactive and data-driven, emerge from a "how to do it" approach. Unfortunately, the theory behind these methods, prescriptions, procedures or tools, is rarely provided and the important terms, such as "easy-to-use", to which these prescriptions refer are not defined. The empirical results reported here bring lighting on the meaning of several design prescriptions that contain qualitative attributes. This paper aims at clarifying the meaning of several web-based course design prescriptions found in the literature in the context of two music web-based courses. Two examples are presented and the results of the students' assessment regarding several design prescriptions are given. First, what we learned while producing the first release of the web part of an undergraduate music course entitled Teaching and Music Technology is presented. Then, what else we learned when the second release was assessed by students is detailed. The next part concerns what we used while developing the undergraduate music course French-Canadian folk which gives access to several music files and scores. Again the results of the students' assessment are presented. The list of the various technologies that must be highly mastered to produce such musical content is given. Keywords Web-based course design, music education, learning styles, students' assessment. VOL 1 NO 4 NOVEMBER 2004 5 The content must be presented clearly.* 9% * students' suggestion (91%): add visual synthesis of information 6 The learning material must provide the basis to judge truth and validity of information. 41% 7 The instructional objectives must be clearly stated* 96% * students' suggestion (96%): avoid the book-like format 8 The purpose of the courseware and the instructional activities, tasks, exercises, etc. needed to complete the learning tasks must be made explicit. 96% 9 The practice activities provided in the courseware must actively involve the learner.* 2% * students suggestion: add activities that will allow to get materials that could be used on the workplace 10 The courseware must use a: 57% clear, N.A. concise and N.A. unbiased language. N.A. 11 The graphical information must be presented clearly. 75% 12 The sound information must be presented clearly. N.A.

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“…Those with high working memory capacity but low general knowledge performed best in the extended practice condition, as they were able to benefit from the extra practice. In examining the use of computer software for a shopping task (determining which store had the best prices for differing numbers of items), Wright and Lickorish (1994) found that as the number of steps needed to solve a problem increased (more demands on working memory), the more likely participants were to use various memory aids available to them. However, which memory or navigational aids participants were most likely to use was not predictable.…”

Section: Computer-based Training (Cbt)mentioning

confidence: 99%