Where a Little Change Makes a Big Difference:A Preliminary Exploration of Children’s Queries

This paper contributes to the discussion initiated in a recent SIGIR paper describing a gap in the information retrieval (IR) literature on query understanding–where they come from and whether they serve their purpose. Particularly the connection between query variability and search engines regarding consistent and equitable access to all users. We focus on a user group typically underserved: children. Using preliminary experiments (based on logs collected in the classroom context) and arguments grounded in children IR literature, we emphasize the importance of dedicating research efforts to interpreting queries formulated by children and the information needs they elicit. We also outline open problems and possible research directions to advance knowledge in this area, not just for children but also for other often-overlooked user groups and contexts.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Web Information System

Searching for Health Information on the Internet: A Study About the Research Behavior of Secondary School Students

Das Internet stellt eine bedeutende Anlaufstelle in der Beschaffung von Gesundheitsinformationen dar, insbesondere für junge Menschen. Für eine gezielte Informationssuche und Quellenbewertung fehlen Kindern und Jugendlichen jedoch oft Wissen und Erfahrung. Der vorliegende Artikel widmet sich dem Online-Rechercheverhalten von Schüler:innen. Die Fragestellungen bezogen sich auf das Rechercheverhalten von Schüler:innen bei der Onlinesuche zu einer vorgegebenen gesundheitsbezogenen Frage. Zudem interessierten Unterschiede im Rechercheverhalten nach Geschlecht und Klassenstufe sowie der Zusammenhang zwischen dem Rechercheverhalten, der internetbezogenen Gesundheitskompetenz und dem Gebrauch internetfähiger Geräte. Mithilfe der Aufzeichnung und Auswertung von Logdaten und einer Fragebogenerhebung wurde von November 2018 bis Februar 2019 das Suchverhalten von 170 österreichischen Schüler:innen der Sekundarstufe I (6., 7. und 8. Klassenstufe) untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass im Durchschnitt 3,4 Suchanfragen gestellt wurden. Schüler:innen, die häufiger internetfähige Geräte für schulische Zwecke nutzten, stellten mehr Suchanfragen. Weiters stellten Schüler:innen, die das erste Suchresultat anklickten, weniger Suchanfragen und jüngere (6. Klassenstufe) Schüler:innen riefen häufiger das erste Suchresultat auf. Zur Beantwortung der gesundheitsbezogenen Frage wurden vorwiegend Textbestandteile aus wikipedia.org und patienten.thromboseportal.eu kopiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Schüler:innen beim Einschätzen von Gesundheitsinformationen aus mehreren Quellen und Erkennen über die kommerziellen Interessen von Websitebetreiber:innen aufgeklärt werden müssen.The internet is an important source for obtaining health information, especially for young people. However, children and adolescents often lack knowledge and experience in targeted information search and source evaluation. The present study focuses on the health-related online research behavior of secondary school students. Specifically, it aimed to examine differences in the students’ research behavior by gender and grade as well as correlations between research behavior, internet-related health literacy, and access to internet-enabled devices. An online questionnaire as well as recorded and analyzed log data were used to gather information about the research behavior of 170 Austrian secondary school students in Grades 6–8. Results show that on average, students performed 3.4 search queries to answer a specified health-related question. Students who used internet-enabled devices more frequently for school purposes per­formed more search queries. In addition, students who clicked on the first search result performed less search queries. Younger (sixth-grade) students were more likely to access the first search result in the list. To answer the health-related question, text components were mainly copied from wikipedia.org and patienten.thromboseportal.eu. The results indicate that students need to be trained to evaluate health information from multiple sources and to recognize commercial interests of website operators

How the information use environment influences search activities: a case of English primary schools

Purpose The information use environment (IUE) – the context within which the search activity takes place – is critical to understanding the search process as this will affect how the value of information is determined. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what factors influence search in English primary schools (children aged 4–11) and how information found is subsequently used. Design/methodology/approach Ten teachers, selected using maximal variation sampling, describe search-related activities within the classroom. The resulting interview data were analysed thematically for the influence of the environment on search and different information uses. The findings were then validated against three classroom observations. Findings 12 categories of information use were identified, and 5 aspects of the environment (the national curriculum, best practice, different skills of children and teachers, keeping children safe, and limited time and resource) combine to influence and shape search in this setting. Research limitations/implications Findings support the argument that it is the IUE that is the key influence of search activity. What makes children a distinct user group is linked to the environment within which they use information rather than age, as advocated in previous studies. Practical implications The features of search systems and practical guidance for teachers and children should be designed to support information use within the IUE. Originality/value As far as the authors are aware, this is the first study to consider the influence of the IUE on how search is enacted within primary schools

Understanding Children’s Help-Seeking Behaviors: Effects of Domain Knowledge

This dissertation explores children’s help-seeking behaviors and use of help features when they formulate search queries and evaluate search results in IR systems. This study was conducted with 30 children who were 8 to 10 years old. The study was designed to answer three research questions with two parts in each: 1(a) What are the types of help-seeking situations experienced by children (8-10 years old) when they formulate search queries in a search engine and a kid-friendly web portal?, 1(b) What are the types of help-seeking situations experienced by children (8-10 years old) when they evaluate search results in a search engine and a kid-friendly web portal?, 2(a) What types of help features do children (8-10 years old) use and desire when they formulate search queries in a search engine and a kid-friendly web portal?, 2(b) What types of help features do children (8-10 years old) use and desire when they evaluate search results in a search engine and a kid-friendly web portal?, 3(a) How does children’s (8-10 years old) domain knowledge affect their help seeking and use of help features when they formulate search queries in a search engine and a kid-friendly web portal?, 3(b) How does children’s (8-10 years old) domain knowledge affect their help seeking and use of help features when they evaluate search results in a search engine and a kid-friendly web portal? This study used multiple data collection methods including performance-based domain knowledge quizzes as direct measurement, domain knowledge self-assessments as indirect measurement, pre-questionnaires, transaction logs, think-aloud protocols, observations, and post-interviews. Open coding analysis was used to examine children’s help-seeking situations. Children’s cognitive, physical, and emotional types of help-seeking situations when using Google and Kids.gov were identified. To explore help features children use and desire when they formulate search queries and evaluate results in Google and Kids.gov, open coding analysis was conducted. Additional descriptive statistics summarized the frequency of help features children used when they formulated search queries and evaluated results in Google and Kids.gov. Finally, this study investigated the effect of children’s domain knowledge on their help seeking and use of help features in using Google and Kids.gov based on linear regression. The level of children’s self-assessed domain knowledge affects occurrences of their help-seeking situations when they formulated search queries in Google. Similarly, children’s domain knowledge quiz scores showed a statistically significant effect on occurrences of their help-seeking situations when they formulated keywords in Google. In the stage of result evaluations, the level of children’s self-assessed domain knowledge influenced their use of help features in Kids.gov. Furthermore, scores of children’s domain knowledge quiz affected their use of help features when they evaluated search results in Kids.gov. Theoretical and practical implications for reducing children’s cognitive, physical, and emotional help-seeking situations when they formulate search queries and evaluate search results in IR systems were discussed based on the results

How do children reformulate their search queries?

Introduction. This paper investigates techniques used by children in year 4 (age eight to nine) of a UK primary school to reformulate their queries, and how they use information retrieval systems to support query reformulation. Method. An in-depth study analysing the interactions of twelve children carrying out search tasks in a primary school lesson; including observations, search recordings, post-task interviews and teacher interview. Analysis. The search screen recordings were analysed for task performance. The queries were categorised using both Broder's taxonomy (2002) and query reformulation type schemes. The interviews and observations were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Results. Children reformulated queries by switching information retrieval system, extracting information from search results, and by using 'did you mean' and auto-complete functionality. The children also reformulated queries by using previous queries, correcting errors, and making their queries more specific. The type of query reformulation support the children used varied according to the type of query entered, with children submitting both question queries and broad-based topic queries. Conclusions. The children mostly reformulated queries based on their interactions with information retrieval systems, rather than their prior knowledge. Search systems could further support children by (1) tailoring tools to the type of query (question or broad-based) entered, (2) making suggestions for the narrowing of queries as the children found this particularly difficult (3) accommodating children's linear scanning of search results as this led to unnecessary query reformulations

An exploration of information poverty : the early manifestation of information poverty in children

Information poverty is when individuals/demographic groups are unwilling or unable to access or share information. Information poverty has been recognised as a critical issue and a global challenge but is an understudied research area and children an understudied group. This study sought better understanding of information poverty and explored early manifestations of information poverty in children. As no empirical child information poverty studies existed, this study was exploratory. A literature review was undertaken alongside (in central Scotland) fieldwork with 156 children (6-8) and interviews with 17 parents and 17 teachers. Research questions were: What is information poverty and why does it occur? Do children experience information poverty and if so, why? After reviewing relevant literature, the researcher defined information poverty (as above) and determined that adolescent and adult information poverty can occur due to a lack of access to information, attitudes, behaviour and cultural context. This study’s empirical component evidenced children (6-8) experiencing information poverty - having unmet information needs; requiring adult support to obtain information and keeping information secret. Contributory factors to child information poverty were also evidenced: lacking skills, motivation and perseverance to obtain/share information; lacking source access; parents restricting information access; parents/teachers encouraging secrecy. Also evidenced was that not all children experienced information poverty and different factors contributed. Empirical findings supported Childers and Post’s (1975) barriers to information needs, searches, acceptance and use and Chatman’s (1996) information poverty theories. By evidencing that children (6-8) can experience information poverty this study makes an original contribution to understandings of information poverty, as existing empirical studies have only evidenced adolescents and adults living in impoverished information worlds. This is also the first empirical study to identify contributory factors to child information poverty and to determine that some of the same factors can contribute to child, adolescent and adult information poverty.Information poverty is when individuals/demographic groups are unwilling or unable to access or share information. Information poverty has been recognised as a critical issue and a global challenge but is an understudied research area and children an understudied group. This study sought better understanding of information poverty and explored early manifestations of information poverty in children. As no empirical child information poverty studies existed, this study was exploratory. A literature review was undertaken alongside (in central Scotland) fieldwork with 156 children (6-8) and interviews with 17 parents and 17 teachers. Research questions were: What is information poverty and why does it occur? Do children experience information poverty and if so, why? After reviewing relevant literature, the researcher defined information poverty (as above) and determined that adolescent and adult information poverty can occur due to a lack of access to information, attitudes, behaviour and cultural context. This study’s empirical component evidenced children (6-8) experiencing information poverty - having unmet information needs; requiring adult support to obtain information and keeping information secret. Contributory factors to child information poverty were also evidenced: lacking skills, motivation and perseverance to obtain/share information; lacking source access; parents restricting information access; parents/teachers encouraging secrecy. Also evidenced was that not all children experienced information poverty and different factors contributed. Empirical findings supported Childers and Post’s (1975) barriers to information needs, searches, acceptance and use and Chatman’s (1996) information poverty theories. By evidencing that children (6-8) can experience information poverty this study makes an original contribution to understandings of information poverty, as existing empirical studies have only evidenced adolescents and adults living in impoverished information worlds. This is also the first empirical study to identify contributory factors to child information poverty and to determine that some of the same factors can contribute to child, adolescent and adult information poverty