Hypermedia-enriched learning space design for professional competence enhancement in workplace education

Roy Kam
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong SAR, China


Information and communications technology (ICT) has been used increasingly in workplace education. In its various forms -- for example, e-text, audio, video, animation, simulation, multimedia, hypermedia or emerging Web 2.0 technology -- ICT can be adopted in one way or another to support the organizational goals companies wish to achieve in their employees' learning.

This paper gives an account of how the design of hypermedia-enriched learning space can enhance employees' professional competence through workplace education, with particular reference to online courseware on 'Dangerous Goods Handling (DGH) for Airports'. As a hypermedia-based learning space, this courseware has design features that help to optimize the effectiveness of teaching and learning about DGH. The courseware design also allows employees to encounter some DGH situations not covered in the classroom and which they may learn only by chance on the job. As the courseware is based on a series of instructional design templates, it provides a sustainable learning space where more DGH situations can easily be added to enhance employees' competence in DGH.

The main argument put forward in this paper is that the way the technology-enriched learning space is designed is still of prime importance for gaining the full educational benefits from using ICT in teaching and learning -- and that this applies as much to developing professional competence in workplace education as to other areas.