Title
Assessing Learning Outcomes in Web Search: A Comparison of Tasks and Query Strategies.
Abstract
Users make frequent use of Web search for learning-related tasks, but little is known about how different Web search interaction strategies affect outcomes for learning-oriented tasks, or what implicit or explicit indicators could reliably be used to assess search-related learning on the Web. We describe a lab-based user study in which we investigated potential indicators of learning in web searching, effective query strategies for learning, and the relationship between search behavior and learning outcomes. Using questionnaires, analysis of written responses to knowledge prompts, and search log data, we found that searchers' perceived learning outcomes closely matched their actual learning outcomes; that the amount searchers wrote in post-search questionnaire responses was highly correlated with their cognitive learning scores; and that the time searchers spent per document while searching was also highly and consistently correlated with higher-level cognitive learning scores. We also found that of the three query interaction conditions we applied, an intrinsically diverse presentation of results was associated with the highest percentage of users achieving combined factual and conceptual knowledge gains. Our study provides deeper insight into which aspects of search interaction are most effective for supporting superior learning outcomes, and the difficult problem of how learning may be assessed effectively during Web search.
Year
DOI
Venue
2016
10.1145/2854946.2854972
CHIIR
Keywords
Field
DocType
Learning, search behavior, exploratory search, user study
Data mining,World Wide Web,Information retrieval,Computer science,Web searching,Web query classification,Search analytics,Cognition,Exploratory search
Conference
ISBN
Citations 
PageRank 
978-1-4503-3751-9
18
0.82
References 
Authors
15
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Kevyn Collins-Thompson1112165.69
Soo Young Rieh283161.46
Carl C. Haynes3180.82
Rohail Syed4303.09