Framing Question What accommodations should electronic encyclopedias include in order to ensure the success of information retrieval for upper elementary school students?

Review of the Literature Demands for efficient and effective information retrieval skills Computers are now more readily available in schools and in the homes Children are utilizing technology tools in their learning process Electronic encyclopedias are becoming more commonplace in school libraries If software is difficult to use, students and teachers will avoid it.

Demands for efficient and effective information retrieval skills

Computers are now more readily available in schools and in the homes

Children are utilizing technology tools in their learning process

Electronic encyclopedias are becoming more commonplace in school libraries

If software is difficult to use, students and teachers will avoid it.

Problem Identify Needs of upper elementary students Information retrieval Interactions with hypermedia environments Differences in electronic encyclopedias Which electronic encyclopedias accommodate for upper elementary student needs

Identify

Needs of upper elementary students

Information retrieval

Interactions with hypermedia environments

Differences in electronic encyclopedias

Which electronic encyclopedias accommodate for upper elementary student needs

Content Analysis Design Collected research regarding student needs Created an evaluation tool based on 24 identified student needs Tested five electronic encyclopedias for how best they considered each student need Individual and comparative analysis

Collected research regarding student needs

Created an evaluation tool based on 24 identified student needs

Tested five electronic encyclopedias for how best they considered each student need

Individual and comparative

analysis

Foundations: Cognitive, Mechanical and Affective Considerations Kulthau Information Search Process (ISP) Piaget Concrete Operational Stage of Development “ Children who are in this concrete-operational stage seek information that exactly matches their own search terms or the terminology used by the teacher or in the assignment. In other words, they are concrete thinkers and have trouble with anything that is not an exact fit with their understanding of the question” (Hirsh, 1999). Influences Textual Relevance and Topicality

Kulthau

Information Search Process (ISP)

Piaget

Concrete Operational Stage of Development

“ Children who are in this concrete-operational stage seek information that exactly matches their own search terms or the terminology used by the teacher or in the assignment. In other words, they are concrete thinkers and have trouble with anything that is not an exact fit with their understanding of the question” (Hirsh, 1999).

Influences Textual Relevance

and Topicality

Developmental Accommodations for Reading Comprehension Text to Speech Appropriate readability and considerate text Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Formula Dale – Chall Spache Affective Behavior Considerations Frustration, confusion Disappointment

Text to Speech

Appropriate readability and considerate text

Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Formula

Dale – Chall

Spache

Frustration, confusion

Disappointment

Information Retrieval by Keyword Searching Closed Questions Open Questions Domain Knowledge Boolean queries not used by young users Common Student Errors Plural Words Spelling Mistakes Name Order Natural Language

Closed Questions

Open Questions

Domain Knowledge

Boolean queries not used by young users

Common Student

Errors

Plural Words

Spelling Mistakes

Name Order

Natural Language

Information Retrieval by Browsing “Known options” makes this the most popular method of information for young users Developmentally appropriate vocabulary Subject categories (Domain Knowledge) Relevance Link Display and Density Considerate Text Hyperlink Abstraction

“Known options” makes this the most popular method of information for young users

Developmentally appropriate vocabulary

Subject categories (Domain Knowledge)

Link Display and Density

Considerate Text

Hyperlink Abstraction

Multimedia Considerations Sound Quality Graphics Access to graphics “Backtracking” capability

Sound Quality

Graphics

Access to graphics

“Backtracking” capability

Differences in Encyclopedias Format of delivery Student Editions Visual Menus Organize, Store and Print Articles and Personal Notes Depth of Coverage Number of articles and multimedia files Citations Updates Dead Internal Links Availability of external links

Format of delivery

Student Editions

Visual Menus

Organize, Store and Print Articles and Personal Notes

Depth of Coverage

Number of articles and multimedia files

Citations

Updates

Dead Internal Links

Availability of external links

Research Suggests… Factors which Influence Upper Elementary Students Information Retrieval Success: Readability Reading ease Hyperlink abstraction Vocabulary requirements in keyword searching Vocabulary use in hyperlink relevance Text to speech capacity Link density Affective behavior considerations Appropriately titled browsing categories Hyperlink and web resource availability Suggested spelling features Textual relevance Ability to retrace steps and organize articles Graphical relevance and accessibility Natural language interface Accommodations for student errors in keywords searches such as: plural words misspellings name order errors

Factors which Influence Upper Elementary

Students Information Retrieval Success:

Encyclopedias Tested CD/DVD Versions World Book Encyclopedia CD (MAC) Many more available Online Versions World Book Encyclopedia Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Britannica Grolier Online

CD/DVD Versions

World Book Encyclopedia CD (MAC)

Many more available

Online Versions

World Book Encyclopedia

Microsoft Encarta

Encyclopedia Britannica

Grolier Online

Overall Results Factors considered by all encyclopedias: name order interesting graphics access to graphics retracing steps lack of hyperlink abstraction None of the encyclopedias offered web links embedded in their articles 67.5% of the 24 student needs were found to be accounted for in some capacity by the five encyclopedias World Book Online met student needs

Factors considered by all encyclopedias:

name order interesting graphics

access to graphics retracing steps

lack of hyperlink abstraction

None of the encyclopedias offered web links embedded in their articles

67.5% of the 24 student needs were found to be accounted for in some capacity by the five encyclopedias

World Book Online met student needs

Results – By User Need Summary of the Frequency of Five Encyclopedias’ Ability to Address Young Users’ Needs 5 0 0 Reading Ease - Word 5 0 0 Readability - Dale Chall 4 1 0 Spelling 2 3 0 Readability - Spache 0 4 1 Browsing Vocabulary Addresses Domain Knowledge Level 0 4 1 Article Outline Vocabulary 1 2 2 Keyword Vocabulary 1 1 3 Natural Language 0 2 3 Textual Relevance 0 2 3 Plural Words 0 0 5 Name Order Not Addressed Somewhat Addressed Successfully Addressed Factors

Results – By User Need Summary of the Frequency of Five Encyclopedias’ Ability to Address Young Users’ Needs 5 0 Web Links Embedded 3 2 Affective Behavior Considerations 3 2 Text to Speech 2 3 Organize articles 2 3 Interesting Graphics Embedded 2 3 Offers Suggested Spellings 2 3 Link Density 1 4 Web Links Available 1 4 Hyperlinks to other articles 0 5 Access to Graphics 0 5 Retrace Steps 0 5 Interesting Graphics Available 0 5 Hyperlink abstraction Not Addressed Addressed Factor

Electronic Encyclopedias for Upper Elementary Students Results – By Encyclopedia

Primary Young User Needs Readability (Spache test) Misspelling Accommodations Pluralization Accommodations Name Order Accommodations Suggested spelling corrections for keywords, Developmentally appropriate vocabulary used for keyword searches Article outline and browsing subject category links Graphical relevance Natural Language Interface

Readability (Spache test)

Misspelling Accommodations

Pluralization Accommodations

Name Order Accommodations

Suggested spelling corrections for keywords,

Developmentally appropriate vocabulary used for keyword searches

Article outline and browsing subject category links

Graphical relevance

Natural Language Interface

Electronic Encyclopedias for Upper Elementary Students Results – By Encyclopedia

Encyclopedias – Interesting Notes World Book Encyclopedia CD Offered extensive hyperlinks to other internal articles Article organization system that included highlighting and adding sticky notes to articles Linked suggested spellings to its dictionary World Book Encyclopedia Online Very supportive environment for failed searches Microsoft Encarta Suggested spelling only through MSN Search, no support for failed keyword searching

World Book Encyclopedia CD

Offered extensive hyperlinks to other internal articles

Article organization system that included highlighting and adding sticky notes to articles

Linked suggested spellings to its dictionary

World Book Encyclopedia Online

Very supportive environment for failed searches

Microsoft Encarta

Suggested spelling only through MSN Search, no support for failed keyword searching

Encyclopedias – Interesting Notes Encyclopedia Britannica (Student Edition) Article Title Index Student Edition cannot be searched The user enters a keyword and is presented selection from the adult encyclopedia then they must click the “Student Encyclopedia” link to access the selection from that database – very frustrating! Graphics and web resources only available from adult edition Grolier Online (New Book of Knowledge) Strong natural language interface Helpful alphabetical browse of subject categories Links named appropriately ie. “More Art”

Encyclopedia Britannica (Student Edition)

Article Title Index

Student Edition cannot be searched

The user enters a keyword and is presented selection from the adult encyclopedia then they must click the “Student Encyclopedia” link to access the selection from that database – very frustrating!

Graphics and web resources only available from adult edition

Grolier Online (New Book of Knowledge)

Strong natural language interface

Helpful alphabetical browse of subject categories

Links named appropriately ie. “More Art”

Limitations Factors in the evaluation tool Researcher bias

Factors in the evaluation tool

Researcher bias

Impact, Direction, Advocacy Improve information retrieval for young users Consideration for software design Inform school and home purchasing of reference software

Improve information retrieval for young users

Consideration for software design

Inform school and home purchasing of reference software

Best Practices for our Classrooms Preview Student errors Pluralization, name order, spelling, natural language Browsing Capabilities Vocabulary and Domain Knowledge Access to Graphics Keyword Searches Vocabulary and Domain Knowledge Explain the accommodations and limitations of the tool

Preview

Student errors

Pluralization, name order, spelling, natural language

Browsing Capabilities

Vocabulary and Domain Knowledge

Access to Graphics

Keyword Searches

Vocabulary and Domain Knowledge

Explain the accommodations and

limitations of the tool

Best Practices for our Classrooms Accommodate/Scaffold Domain Knowledge, Vocabulary Offer word banks or provide search terms Brainstorm keywords for open and closed tasks Link Display and Density, Hyperlink Abstraction Print and preview page with students to decrease initial disorientation (create a map) Circle the important links they will want to use Backtracking, Organizing, Storing, Printing Articles Offer instruction Review IE toolbar and bookmarking

Accommodate/Scaffold

Domain Knowledge, Vocabulary

Offer word banks or provide search terms

Brainstorm keywords for open and closed tasks

Link Display and Density, Hyperlink Abstraction

Print and preview page with students to decrease initial disorientation (create a map)

Circle the important links they will want to use

Backtracking, Organizing, Storing, Printing Articles

Offer instruction

Review IE toolbar and bookmarking

Electronic Encyclopedias for Upper Elementary Students

Electronic Encyclopedias for Upper Elementary Students