Dimensions of Learner Control A Reappraisal for Interactive Multimedia Instruction

The potential benefits of technology for education have frequently been technology driven,. No more so than with the current developments in multimedia which integrated text, graphics, video and audio to provide a comprehensive representation of a content domain on a single display monitor. In this environment, developers are producing applications which reflect significant changes in the way in which information is presented, delivered and accessed. Consequently, new and different problems are emerging in the way in which learners develop an understanding or mental model of both the content and structure of the instructional software being used. With the challenge to facilitate the rapid formation of accurate mental models, this paper reviews the paradigm shifts which have occurred in the critical areas of instructional strategy, learning theory, interaction and interface design and introduces a reappraisal of learner control research in terms of a set of dimensions required for effective multimedia instruction. A new approach to design at both the interface and instructional level is required to take full advantage of both the technology and learner requirements.