Hypertext – simply powerful words
Hypertext is something most people don’t even think about. It is just there. Those little blue letters are an invitation to click. The pointer moves over them and instantly turns into a hand that says, “Come see where I’ll take you.” And then the learning adventure begins.
The conventions for using and creating hypertext goes back to the early days of the internet and even before the internet was created. The work of Vannevar Bush, who wrote “As We May Think” inspired the work of Ted Nelson and Douglas Englebart. This led to work done by Tim Berners-Lee who developed the protocols for linking information on the world wide web. This work continues today through the W3C organization.
But what really fascinates me about hypertext is the mystery and magic in linking ideas, concepts and information that would not have been discovered otherwise. It is the unknown path that leads to new, undiscovered learning territory. It is the private and also social construction of my knowledge as I journey that path. It is making critical decisions about what directions I want to go, learning from the gems I find along the path, and knowing when I’ve gone too far. It’s about being in control but slightly out of control. It’s about reflecting on ideas and information that connect, resonate or disturb my thinking.
As I continue into this course on the design of on-line learning I reflect on the power and affordance of the little blue letters. Hypertext is amazing in its simplicity, powerful in its design, the conventions are apparent and the intentions are quickly understood by all. To read more about this topic, link to the Wikispace.