Students' learning through hypermedia.

This study assessed the effectiveness of hypermedia software in the learning and retention, association, and structuring of biological knowledge by using fifth grade students (ages 9 to 11 years) from three urban schools in Southern Chile. Four groups of 24 subjects each were exposed to either hypermedia software presentation on basic functions of the human body (Group 1), the same information in linear, electronic book mode (Group 2), the same information on a printed brochure (Group 3), or no experimental treatment but exposure (as were students in the other three groups) to regular lectures and materials (control group or Group 4). Six students from each school were randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups; thus 24 students from each school (N=72) participated.