SEEKING
Students locate or create
information needed to
accomplish their purposes.
SEEKING
What are some ways
students locate or create
information?
SEEKING
What words could we use to
define excellence in seeking
information?
Three Levels of Search
Simple
Complex
Complicated
Simple Search
• Fact focused
• Has a simple correct answer
• Example: When did the word
“teenager” first appear in
American writing?
Complex Search
• Fact gathering, interpreting, analyzing
• May require advanced search techniques
and multiple searches.
• Example: Compare teen culture in 2010
with American youth culture in 1910?
Complicated Search
• Iterative
• Searching leads to information which informs
the response but does not dictate it.
• Example: Using information I have learned
about the challenges of contemporary youth
culture, can I envision an alternative to the
current American high school system.
Search
The more insightful the
question, the more
sophisticated the search.
Activity
Relate this to your discipline: Write an
example of level one, two, and three
questions.
Are there discipline specific ways
search would vary based on the kinds
of questions you’ve written?
Write the SEEKING learning
outcome in discipline
specific language.
(Worksheet, Page One)
Put a check list by the items
that best describe how you
hope your majors will excel
in SEEKING information.
(Worksheet, p. 3)
Write other items that are
especially relevant to your
majors’ ability to SEEK
information.
(Worksheet, p. 3)
Vocabulary is Important
Persistent & Reflective Search
81% of observed students used simple keyword searches regardless of the data base
92% of resources used by students were
found on the first page of search results
In general, students believe that if they could
not quickly find information it must not exist
at all.
(Asher, Duke, & Wilson, 2013)
Song Lyric Search
Using the song lyrics on the worksheet
I’ve given you work in teams to try to
answer all of the questions on the
worksheet within 10 minutes.
As you are working, make note of the
thought processes you were using to
facilitate your search and to answer the
questions.
Answer 1
Answer 2
A biscuit or cracker that was a typical staple of
the union army. They were often referred to as
“worm castles” by soldiers. Source:
http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/media_pla
yer?mets_filename=evm00001772mets.xml
Answer 3
A.Interbake Foods
B.Richmond and Front Royal
C.Sailor Boy Pilot Bread
D.Alaska
Answer 4
Girl from the North
Country
Reflection
• What did you notice about
the search process you
employed?
• Did you discover anything
unexpected as you were
searching?
Describe a teaching idea you heard
or thought about today that you
want to use to teach your students
seeking skills. When and where do
you plan to try this idea?
(Worksheet, p. 5)