grazing, looping & skimming: understanding students' digital habits - internet librarian...
DESCRIPTION
Students have unique information-seeking habits, and during the progression from elementary school to high school, the differences in their skills and abilities can be striking. In this presentation, two user researchers from EBSCO share their journey of learning about student and educator behaviors in today’s digital environment. Participants learn the difference between how various student personas—”grazers, loopers and skimmers”—consume information, and what role emotions play in consumption of user interface design. Surprising findings on how students feel about image-dominant displays and source types is shared, as well as educator views on the “equity issues” present in today’s schools and how those issues impact the role of technology in today’s classrooms. The presenters also discuss the most effective methods for researching students, including their experience applying the video diary method, inspired by researchers at Google.TRANSCRIPT
Grazing, Looping & Skimming: Understanding Students’ Digital Habits
Deirdre CostelloSr. User Experience Researcher
EBSCO Information Services
@deirdre_lyon
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/
deirdre-costello/12/440/593/
ABOUT ME
Deirdre Costello, Sr. User Experience Researcher
Experience:
Currently at EBSCO Information Services
5+ years experience in Library & Information Science
Education:
MSLIS from Simmons College
MA in English from Boston College
BA in English and Psychology from Lewis & Clark College
THE PROJECTS
Secondary ResearchIn-depth literature
review on search
habits of elementary,
middle and high
school students.
Video Diary Studies
High school students
self-reporting their
research habits and
preferences.
Contextual Inquiry
One-on-one
sessions with high
school and college
students discussing
their research habits
and how they
formed.
Personas:
The WhoHigh
School
EarlyCollege
LateCollege
GraduateSchool
Some trainingAnd exposure
Novice
Advanced, field-specific
skills
Expertresearchers
All avatars created by Deirdre Costello using FaceYourManga.com
Reader
Rule-Follower
Overachiever
Naturally internally motivated
All avatars created by Deirdre Costello using FaceYourManga.com
Supportive Home
Hates Homework
Relies on Hermione
Learns from a Friend
All avatars created by Deirdre Costello using FaceYourManga.com
Nervous
Clumsy
Very Little Support
Finds His Subject
Motivation: The Turning Point
External Internal
BEHAVIORS: THE HOW
Loopers
Vascillating
between search
and results,
able to move
forward with
guidance.
Skimmers
Familiar with
conventions but
still not experts.
L’Efficient
Work smart, not
hard – until
motivation
strikes.
Researchers
Interest leads to
passion,
dedication and
advanced
research skills.
Grazers
Not interacting
deeply with
information, but
starting to learn
conventions.
3 51
1st-4th 5th-8th9th-
12th 18-22 22+
Elementary School
Grazers
• Skill mastery occurs when
students feel confident and
successful
• Comfortable exploring new
interfaces
• Solve problems by trial
and error
• Students think very
concretely
• They have developing
motor skills
• Their reading
comprehension is still low
Elementary School
•Interpreting information is a challenge
•Interacting with information is a
challenge
• Positive reinforcement for exploration
builds a foundation for future skills
Grazers: In Short
Middle School
Loopers
• Autonomy and
independence is extremely
important
• Motivated by familiarity,
authority and intellectual
challenge
• Positive view of technology• Keywords are a struggle
• Have difficulty understanding
hierarchies
• Unsure about how to
progress on their own
• Will reject anything
“childish”
Middle School
• Students are ready to search on their
own
• They can perform simple strategies
modelled for them
• They need consistent reassurance and
guidance to move forward
Loopers: In Short
High School
Skimmers• Comfortable with technology
• Familiar with web
conventions
• Capable of analysis and
synthesis
• Difficulty formulating a search
strategy – defining a topic,
determining keywords, creating a
product
• Not expert users
• Quick to reject anything
unfamiliar or inconvenient
• Experience anxiety about
producing a high-quality product
• Enjoy learning and finding
information
High School
9th Grade “Boot Camp”
• Students are resistant when they’re doing it
• When they get to college, they appreciate it
• They become the “helpers” that other students turn
to when they’re struggling
Skimmers: Key Opportunity
College
L’Efficient• Can plan and execute a
research workflow
• Understand the value of
credibility
• When research is
personally interesting, feel
dedicated and productive
• Only willing to work as hard as
they need to
• Reject anything difficult or
inconvenient
• Struggle with the library
website
• Feel overwhelmed and
stressed by research
College
Major-Specific Training
• Interest makes the research process easier
• Students declare an interest when they
choose a major
• This interest is an opportunity to provide them
with advanced subject-specific skills
L’Efficient: Key Opportunity
Graduate School
Researchers• Recognize credible, field-
specific sources
• Are willing to put in the work
necessary for a high-quality
product
• Feel a commitment to
produce unique,
interesting research
• May not have the advanced
skills we’d expect
• Feel there’s an expectation
that they can use library
resources when they get to
grad school
Graduate School
• Graduate students have “turned the
corner”
• They have the interest and passion to
develop advanced research skills
• They’re often looking for mentorship
Researchers: In Short
TAKEAWAYS
LoopersGuidance,
frequent
checkins and
reassurance
SkimmersDrills to Build
Skills – develop
that muscle
memory
L’EfficientHelp finding
topics, training
paired with
subjects of
interest
ResearchersEncourage that
passion
GrazersPositive
reinforcement
for exploring,
modelling more
advanced
behaviors
3 51
1st-4th 5th-8th9th-
12th 18-22 22+
Be In Touch!
@deirdre_lyon
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/
deirdre-costello/12/440/593/