What affect student cognitive style in the development of hypermedia learning system?

Recent developments in learning technology such as hypermedia is becoming widespread and offer significant contribution to improve the delivery of learning and teaching materials. A key factor in the development of hypermedia learning system is cognitive style (CS) as it relates to users' information processing habits, representing individual user's typical modes of perceiving, thinking, remembering and problem solving. The sample comprised of 217 students from Murdoch University who were enrolled in a first-year undergraduate unit. A survey was carried out every second semester over a period of 3 years (1999-2001). Both generalized linear model and tree-based regression were used to analyse the interaction among the learning dimensions and the effect on students' CS. When comparing both models, tree-based regression outperformed generalized linear model in this study. The research findings indicated that non-linear learning is the primary dimension that determines students' CS. This is subsequently, followed by multiple tools (MT) and learner control (LC) dimensions. The results also confirm that background information has effects on students' CS. The overall findings suggest that students' preference of learning dimensions such as linear vs. non-linear, level of LC and the range of MT must be taken into consideration in order to enrich students' quality of education by means of motivating students' acquisition of subject matter through individualize instruction when designing, developing, and delivering educational resources.