The Role of Unit Evaluation, Learning and Culture dimensions related to student cognitive style in hypermedia learning

Abstract. Recent developments in learning technologies such as hypermedia are becoming widespread and offer significant contributions to improving the delivery of learning and teaching materials. A key factor in the development of hypermedia learning systems is cognitive style (CS) as it relates to users ‟ information processing habits, representing individual users ‟ typical modes of perceiving, thinking, remembering and problem solving. A total of 97 students from Australian (45) and Malaysian (52) universities participated in a survey. Five types of predictor variables were investigated with the CS: (i) three learning dimensions; (ii) five culture dimensions; (iii) evaluation of units; (iv) demographics of students; and (v) country in which students studied. Both multiple regression models and tree-based regression were used to analyse the direct effect of the five types of predictor variables, and the interactions within each type of predictor variable. When comparing both models, tree-based regression outperformed the generalized linear model in this study. The research findings indicate that unit evaluation is the primary variable to determine students