The use of hyperlinks

Jenny Luca had an interesting post about the teaching of hyperlinks in k-12. I actually wrote about this in 2007 and 2008. This is an area I'm very interested in once I get my dissertation completed.

My comment on her blog was

I wrote about this is 2008. Part of the problem in the English language is that we teach writing as a linear process and hyperlink writing requires spatial writing. For me, using hyperlinks opened up a world for my writing. However, as I write my dissertation, I realize that many English and writing teachers are linear thinkers.

When I write pen on paper, I have notes in the margins, arrows between ideas, drawings all over the paper. As a child I was reprimanded for this because I was considered “scattered.” Outlines helped me to put my thoughts into a linear format. However, I am very good at hyperlinks. I discovered a few years ago in a course I taught on computer based writing across the curriculum that “good writers” had a very difficult time adding hyperlinks.

This, in fact, relates to some of my findings on partaged knowledge. I feel the ability to link ideas is inherent in some people, just as the ability to think linearly is inherent in others. While we work with those (such as myself) in "organizing thoughts" in a linear manner, we haven't yet recognized that we need to work with those who think linear for a "partaged knowledge" society. We should be teaching hyperlinks. But that would mean having to recruit students with non-linear thinking and changing our conceptions about "scattered" thinkers.