3.1.2 Educational Goals of Context32
The second academic context of courseware explored during this study was that surrounding
Context32.
The body of materials was created by Landow specifically
for English 32 Introduction to English Literature, and draws upon the hypermedia capacities
of the Intermedia system.
In the following passage, Landow reflects his concern that authors of educational materials
working with the computing medium not make the mistake of using the hypermedia system without
thoughtfully taking advantage of the special properties that the technology provides:
Designers of educational materials, like designers of entire hypermedia systems,
have to recognize that no matter how powerful a hypertext system may be, it only provides an
environment in which authors and readers have to make decisions. Authors of hypertext
materials must develop and employ stylistic and rhetorical devices that extend beyond
those associated with writing texts for publication as a printed book. In so doing,
they must distinguish carefully between adapting printed works to hypertext and creating
new ones in this new information medium. (Landow, 1990, p. 58)