Automatic assessment of creativity in heuristic problem-solving based on query diversity

Indexación: Web of Science; Scopus.Research, development and innovation are the pillars on which companies rely to offer new products and services capable of attracting consumer demand. This is why creative problem-solving emerges as one of the most relevant skills of the 21st century. Fortunately, there are many creativity training programs that have proven effective. However, many of these programs and methods base on a previous measurement of creativity and require experienced reviewers, they consume time for being manual, and they are far from everyday activities. In this study, we propose a model to estimate the creative quality of users' solutions dealing with heuristic problems, based on the automatic analysis of query patterns issued during the information search to solve the problem. This model has been able to predict the creative quality of solutions produced by 226 users, reaching a sensitivity of 78.43%. Likewise, the level of agreement among reviewers in relation to the creative characteristics is evaluated through two rubrics, and thereby, observing the difficulties of the manual evaluation: subjectivity and effort. The proposed model could be used to foster prompt detection of non-creative solutions and it could be implemented in diverse industrial processes that can range from the recruitment of talent to the evaluation of performance in R&D&I processes.https://www.revistadyna.com/search/automatic-assessment-of-creativity-in-heuristic-problem-solving-based-on-query-diversit

Effectiveness of training intervention to improve medical student’s information literacy skills

This study aimed to assess the efficiency of delivering a 4-month course of “effective literature search” among medical postgraduate students for improving information literacy skills. This was a cross-sectional study in which 90 postgraduate students were randomly selected and participated in 12 training sessions. Effective search strategies were presented and the students’ attitude and competency concerning online search were measured by a pre- and post-questionnaires and skill tests. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using t-test. There was a significant improvement (p=0.00), in student’s attitude. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) was 2.9 (0.8) before intervention versus the mean (SD) 3.9 (0.7) after intervention. Students’ familiarity with medical resources and databases improved significantly. The data showed a significant increase (p=0.03), in students’ competency score concerning search strategy design and conducting a search. The mean (SD) was 2.04 (0.7) before intervention versus the mean (SD) 3.07 (0.8) after intervention. Also, students’ ability in applying search and meta search engine improved significantly. This study clearly acknowledges that the training intervention provides considerable opportunity to improve medical student’s information literacy skills

Effectiveness of training intervention to improve medical student's information literacy skills

This study aimed to assess the efficiency of delivering a 4-month course of "effective literature search" among medical postgraduate students for improving information literacy skills. This was a cross-sectional study in which 90 postgraduate students were randomly selected and participated in 12 training sessions. Effective search strategies were presented and the students' attitude and competency concerning online search were measured by a pre- and post-questionnaires and skill tests. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using t-test. There was a significant improvement (p=0.00), in student's attitude. The mean (standard deviation SD) was 2.9 (0.8) before intervention versus the mean (SD) 3.9 (0.7) after intervention. Students' familiarity with medical resources and databases improved significantly. The data showed a significant increase (p=0.03), in students' competency score concerning search strategy design and conducting a search. The mean (SD) was 2.04 (0.7) before intervention versus the mean (SD) 3.07 (0.8) after intervention. Also, students' ability in applying search and meta search engine improved significantly. This study clearly acknowledges that the training intervention provides considerable opportunity to improve medical student's information literacy skills

The extent of usage of mobile devices for learning outside the classroom in a secondary school in Tanzania

Secondary school students are labelled as bad mannered, and low achievers because of their extent of using mobile devices. Elder siblings and parents have not supported these students use of mobile devices. In some cases, students have had their devices confiscated. Little do parents know; their children are using mobile devices for learning outside the classroom. Students view using their mobile devices for learning to be compatible with using textbooks and that as they use the devices outside the classroom, they are supplementing their learning. When confused, they contact teachers for clarification. To understand the extent of secondary school student’s use of mobile devices for learning outside the classroom in Tanzania, a single secondary school was purposively selected. A total of 202 students responded to questionnaire, and 20 students were interviewed by the researchers. The theory of diffusion of innovation was employed to provide an understanding of the phenomenon of interest. This research aims to debunk the myth on secondary school student’s use of mobile devices, equip students staying far from schools, and with less resources evidence of a tool they can use for learning, provide a theoretical elaboration on usage of mobile devices for learning, and apprise the informal learning community

Procesos y estrategias de búsqueda de información en la web de estudiantes de V ciclo de primaria de una institución educativa privada de Lima

El desarrollo de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación genera una oportunidad para la continua innovación en educación, pero representa también muchos desafíos. Uno de ellos es la abundancia de información en la web. En ese sentido, la búsqueda de información cobra relevancia pues se encuentra entre una de las principales acciones en el marco de la alfabetización informacional que busca dotar a los estudiantes de las habilidades necesarias para gestionar la información. Por ello, este trabajo de investigación tiene como finalidad analizar los procesos y estrategias de búsqueda de información en la web que realizan un grupo de estudiantes de V ciclo de primaria en una institución educativa privada de Lima. La metodología que sustenta el estudio es de enfoque cualitativo a nivel descriptivo. En esta investigación se describen los procesos de búsqueda que realizan los estudiantes, así como también se identifican las estrategias que utilizan. Entre los resultados se encuentra la falta de planificación para llevar a cabo la búsqueda, el bajo nivel de comprensión lectora sobre los datos hallados pues, en la mayoría de casos, copian textualmente lo que encuentran; además, no existe una consciencia sobre la importancia de la fiabilidad de la información; y finalmente la ausencia de estrategias de búsqueda de información que permita a los estudiantes filtrar las fuentes de acuerdo a sus necesidades. De este modo, la investigación busca aportar al campo de la alfabetización informacional en educación primaria pues la mayoría de estudios están centrados en la educación superior.The development of Information and Communications Technology creates an opportunity for continuous innovation in education, but due to its characteristics it also represents a challenge. One of these is the abundance of information that can be found on the web. In this sense, the search for information becomes relevant because it is one of the main actions in the framework of information literacy, which aims at providing students with the necessary skills to manage information. For that reason, this research analyzes the processes and strategies of web information search used by a group of students of V cycle of primary in a private educational institution of Lima. The methodology that supports the study is a qualitative approach at a descriptive level. In this research the searching processes performed by the students are described, as well as the strategies used by them are identified. Among the findings, the lack of planning to carry out the search is found; in addition, also found, the low level of reading comprehension of the data found since, in most cases, the participants copy exactly what they find; furthermore, there is no awareness of the importance of the reliability of the information source since it is not taken into account during the search. Finally, the absence of information search strategies that allow the students to filter the sources according to their needs. In this way, the research seeks to contribute to the field of information literacy in primary education since most studies are focused on higher education

A new integrated model for multitasking during web searching

Investigating multitasking information behaviour, particularly while using the web, has become an increasingly important research area. People s reliance on the web to seek and find information has encouraged a number of researchers to investigate the characteristics of information seeking behaviour and the web seeking strategies used. The current research set out to explore multitasking information behaviour while using the web in relation to people s personal characteristics, working memory, and flow (a state where people feel in control and immersed in the task). Also investigated were the effects of pre-determined knowledge about search tasks and the artefact characteristics. In addition, the study also investigated cognitive states (interactions between the user and the system) and cognitive coordination shifts (the way people change their actions to search effectively) while multitasking on the web. The research was exploratory using a mixed method approach. Thirty University students participated; 10 psychologists, 10 accountants and 10 mechanical engineers. The data collection tools used were: pre and post questionnaires, pre-interviews, a working memory test, a flow state scale test, audio-visual data, web search logs, think aloud data, observation, and the critical decision method. Based on the working memory test, the participants were divided into two groups, those with high scores and those with lower scores. Similarly, participants were divided into two groups based on their flow state scale tests. All participants searched information on the web for four topics: two for which they had prior knowledge and two more without prior knowledge. The results revealed that working memory capacity affects multitasking information behaviour during web searching. For example, the participants in the high working memory group and high flow group had a significantly greater number of cognitive coordination and state shifts than the low working memory group and low flow group. Further, the perception of task complexity was related to working memory capacity; those with low memory capacity thought task complexity increased towards the end of tasks for which they had no prior knowledge compared to tasks for which they had prior knowledge. The results also showed that all participants, regardless of their working memory capacity and flow level, had the same the first frequent cognitive coordination and cognitive state sequences: from strategy to topic. In respect of disciplinary differences, accountants rated task complexity at the end of the web seeking procedure to be statistically less significant for information tasks with prior knowledge compared to the participants from the other disciplines. Moreover, multitasking information behaviour characteristics such as the number of queries, web search sessions and opened tabs/windows during searches has been affected by the disciplines. The findings of the research enabled an exploratory integrated model to be created, which illustrates the nature of multitasking information behaviour when using the web. One other contribution of this research was to develop new more specific and closely grounded definitions of task complexity and artefact characteristics). This new research may influence the creation of more effective web search systems by placing more emphasis on our understanding of the complex cognitive mechanisms of multitasking information behaviour when using the web

A educação geográfica e o desenvolvimento de competências de pesquisa no secundário: uma experiência didática

Na sociedade da informação em que vivemos, a educação deve apostar no desenvolvimento das competências de pesquisa fundamentais para o sucesso do percurso académico (o ensino superior mobiliza cada vez mais alunos) e profissional dos mais jovens. A presente investigação centra-se, assim, no contributo da educação geográfica para a mobilização de competências de pesquisa, no contexto específico de uma sequência letiva na disciplina de Geografia A, lecionada junto de uma turma do 11º ano de escolaridade. A experiência privilegiou a implementação de experiências de aprendizagem diversificadas, o que permitiu verificar que estes alunos recorrem, mais frequentemente, a motores de busca na Internet, quando necessitam de realizar pesquisas. Apesar de demonstrarem mais interesse e facilidade neste tipo de pesquisa, ficou patente que os alunos podem, ainda, aperfeiçoar procedimentos neste âmbito, por exemplo, ao nível da recolha e tratamento de dados estatísticos, para além de se revelar fundamental uma maior atenção às questões relacionadas com a credibilidade e rigor da informação. No final desta experiência, de dimensão limitada, as competências de pesquisa dos alunos envolvidos não melhoraram imediata e exponencialmente. No entanto, estes tiveram a oportunidade de contactar com informações diversas, oriundas de fontes também variadas e, em relação a algumas das mesmas, estavam pouco familiarizados ou nunca as tinham utilizado. Esta experiência pode ser encarada com um passo a ter em conta, num processo mais amplo e contínuo, cuja continuação constitui um desafio para os alunos e para a escola, em sentido amplo. De igual modo, fica patente que a educação geográfica pode contribuir para a mobilização das competências de pesquisa dos alunos, também pelas atividades diversificadas que consegue promover, o que a valoriza enquanto saber disciplinar.In the information society in which we live, education must focus on the development of research skills that are essential to the success of the academic (higher education mobilizes more and more students) and professional journey of the younger generation. The present research focuses on the contribution of geographic education to the mobilization of research skills, in the specific context of a sequence in Geografia A, taught to a class of the eleventh year of schooling. The experience privileged the implementation of diversified learning experiences, which made it possible to verify that these students are more likely to use Internet search engines when they need to conduct research. Although they show more interest and ease in this type of research, it is clear that students can further improve procedures in this area, for example, in the collection and processing of statistical data, and in the attention to credibility and accuracy of information. At the end of this experience, of limited size, the research skills of the students involved did not improve immediately and exponentially. However, they had the opportunity to contact with different information, from different sources and, for some of them, were unfamiliar or had never used them. This experience can be seen as a step forward in a broader and more continuous process, whose continuation is a challenge for the students and the school in a broad sense. Likewise, it is clear that geographic education can contribute to the mobilization of students research skills, also by the diversified activities that can promote, which values it as a disciplinary knowledge

Internet-based information behaviour of high school learners in Ashanti region of Ghana.

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2018.The study examined the Internet-based information behaviour of high school learners in the Ashanti region of Ghana. It looked into the online information needs of learners, how they retrieve and evaluate online information sources as well as the challenges they face when accessing online information. The survey design was used to survey three public schools for the study. The three participating schools for the study were St. Louis senior high school (SHS), Effiduasi SHS and Simms SHS. The survey design allowed methodological pluralism for the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data for the study. The tools for data collection were a self-administered questionnaire for the learners and ICT teachers as well as semi-structured interview schedules used to interview the Heads of ICT departments (HICTDs) and librarians. Pre-testing of research instruments, triangulation of research data, cross-tabulation of results and consideration of ethical issues were carried out to ensure validity and reliability of the results. The quantitative data were analysed with SPSS and the qualitative data were analysed through the use of thematic content analysis. Wilson’s (1999) model of information behaviour and Ellis’s (1989) behavioural model of information seeking strategies were employed as the theoretical framework for the study. A hundred percent response rate was achieved from the learners, HICTDs and librarians, and 81.8% from the ICT teachers. The results showed that learners could access the Internet at their school’s computer laboratories. It was revealed that learners had both academic and personal online information needs, and were accessing multiple Internet sources to satisfy their online information needs with search engines as the predominant source and Google as the most popular. The study discovered that learners lacked the competencies needed for effective retrieval of online information. Learners were found not to apply advanced search options but relied on basic strategies like ‘keyword’ search. The study also found that learners’ evaluation of online sources was poor. Clearly, learners were not introduced to advanced search options and online evaluation criteria, and this affected their Internet-based information behaviour. The study highlighted that librarians were not playing the required role to develop learners’ information literacy skills. The major challenges learners faced when accessing information on the Internet were slow Internet connection and Internet access restrictions. The study recommends improvements in information literacy instructions and Internet infrastructure at schools for learners. The study has also developed a proposed guideline on Internet information literacy instruction based on the findings of the study to inform policy on the curriculum